The Spider's Revenge
by SomedayonBroadway
Summary: The Spider isn't happy. And when The Spider's not happy, someone's bound to get hurt. Everyone has a weakness. And he found Jack's. (Sequel to Just Breathe).
1. chapter 1

**Warning: Mentions of rape. Violence.**

 **Hey guys! I really appreciate all of you guys who have been reviewing my stories! It truly makes my day every time. Thank you!**

 **This story is sadly very fun for me to write. I'm so sorry. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter of the last story, so far, in this series. If you guys would like to see more, just let me know. :)**

 **Enjoy!**

"I can walk, ya know." Crutchie said, irritated, from his place on Racetrack's back.

"Sure ya can, kid." Race replied, bouncing the boy on his back up a bit. He smiled as Crutchie let out a startled cry and latched his hands onto the front of his red sweatshirt. Well, it wasn't actually his. Jack had given it to him years ago when Race had been through something traumatic. At the time it had been too big on the thin, pale, short kid. But Jack had said he didn't want it back so Race kept it. Not only did it keep him warm, but it reminded him of Jack, and in turn, made him feel safe.

"It's ok Crutchie." Romeo said from Race's right, away from edge of the street. No one but the oldest of the three realized it. "Underneath all that sarcasm, he cares."

Racetrack scoffed and bumped the twelve year old, knocking him into the bushes just off the sidewalk. The older boy laughed as Romeo ran back at him, Crutchie's crutch in hand as he playfully swung at Race's legs. "Eh don' hurt nobody with that little girl swing." He teased the smaller boy.

"Hey! I swing ten times as hard as you!" Romeo argued, readjusting the bag on his back.

"I don't know Rome," Crutchie sighed. "Race has got a pretty good swing."

"Hey!" The youngest boy put a hand over his heart in mock offense. "You're supposed to be on my side!" Crutchie just shrugged and laughed.

Race laughed in triumph as he rounded the corner, but the laugh was short lived as someone ran into him, bumping Crutchie's bad leg, making the boy hiss as he kept in a cry of pain. Race's protectiveness got the better of him. "Hey! Are ya blind or what?!" He yelled, ignoring Crutchie's sigh that it was ok. But Race didn't care he glared at the guy that had put the boy in pain for even a second.

"Sorry." The man muttered. Race couldn't see his face. He wore a black hoodie that shielded his features from view. But Race caught sight of a silver pinky ring that made him quiver inside. That ring was something he'd seen before. Something from his past and though he knew it was unlikely the same person, the memories resurfaced and he couldn't help but feel a little bit angrier. But despite this, Race didn't say anything else and continued on with his friends, not even noticing a hand slipping in and out of the gimp boy's pocket.

Race smiled again as he came within view of Jacobi's. He caught sight of some of the boys inside already and nodded to Romeo when he looked over and saw the kid asking for his approval to run towards them with only his big brown eyes.

Crutchie smiled when he saw Jack open the front door of the diner. The seventeen year old lifted Romeo up off his feet and waved at both him and Race.

"Don't tell Jack my legs been botherin' me." Crutchie whispered into Race's ear. The older of the two sighed and looked down at the ground for a moment.

"So ya finally admit it?" Race asked with a sad smirk on his face as he continued to walk to the door that Jack had left open for them. He knew that Crutchie was having a bad day. Every time he'd try to move it, he'd hiss or groan in pain. So he refused to let Crutchie limp to Jacobi's.

Crutchie sighed. "Just don't tell Jack." He asked, resting his chin on his friend's shoulder.

Before Race could answer, they were making their way inside. The blond Italian saw Romeo sitting with their friends at one of the largest booths in the corner. He looked around and saw some of the others at surrounding tables and finally his eyes landed on Jack who was currently with a customer that Race didn't know.

The gambler carefully set Crutchie down at the booth, next to JoJo and made his way over to Jack. The older boy was smiling and charming the guests of that table as they tried to decide what to eat. Once Race made his way over to Jack, the older boy put his hand up, a signal for him to hold on. So Race stood patiently while the couple ordered and then followed Jack back to the counter.

"What's up, Racer?" Jack asked in a hurry, making his way around into the kitchen and dropping off the order before grabbing another tray and walking back out into the busy restaurant. Race followed him as if this was an everyday occurrence. He dodged customers and trays and just started talking.

"I had ta carry Crutchie here today." Race explained, looking over at the boy who was looking down at the table, sadly, knowing that Race had ignored his one request. But the gambler knew that he was doing the right thing.

Jack shot his friend a concerned look. "Is he ok?" He asked, setting down a plate in front of a man reading a newspaper. Then he moved back to the kitchen and started to wipe down the counters.

"He's been whimperin' and groanin' all day. I think it's the damn weather. The cold's probably makin' it hurt." Race sighed.

Jack nodded and glanced over at his little brother at the table. He smiled, sadly, as they made eye contact and Crutchie smiled back, but his natural carefree grin was no where to be seen. "Poor kid." Jack sighed. Then he spun around and grabbed the coffee that had just finished brewing. "Look, I'm sorry ta do this to ya, Race." Jack told his second in command as they once again made their way around the diner. "But Jacobi's got me closin' tonight. Do ya mind takin' the kid home for me?" Race nodded. But before he could answer, they'd made it to a regular customer.

"Hello Miss Julie." Jack greeted, smiling as the woman did. "How's the church?" He asked.

"Wonderful Jack, thank you for asking." She responded and then smiled at the other boy. "And how are we doing today, Racetrack?"

"We're doing fine, thank you Miss Julie." Race responded, happily and then the two were once again back at the counter and Jack finally just leaned towards the boy over the counter as the blond sat down on a stool.

"I don't mind, Jack." Race said. "And I was meanin' ta ask ya if I could stay again tonight." He asked, and Jack smiled, so he continued. "Medda is still outta town with her... 'friend'." Race used air quotes, remembering exactly how his guardian had put it. "And I'm havin' trouble sleepin' in that huge house by myself." He explained.

Jack laughed. Medda was definitely something else. "Of course you can stay, kid." Jack assured, placing a hand on the kid's shoulder. "You know your always welcome there. Even Medda said you could stay there whenever ya want." He smiled.

"Thanks Jackie." And then Jack's five second break was over and he was back to working. He brought the boys some water and whatever he could afford to get them to eat.

Katherine came by for a while, on Jack break. All the boys had teased them as Jack held her in his arms and kissed her and they had their ten minutes of romance before Jack was back on the clock. Then she sat with the boys for a while, bought them some food to share before she left.

After that they stayed there for hours, playing games and joking around with each other. But eventually all of the boys started to go home. After a while, all that was left were Race, Crutchie and Romeo. The youngest of the three was basically passed out against his older brother.

Jack walked past them to see Romeo trying, in vain, to keep his eyes open and to see Crutchie sipping at a water while Race messed with his always present cigar. He chuckled and looked over at the time. "It's almost ten. Diners almost closed, you guys should be getting home." He commented.

Race sighed and shoved his cigar back into his pocket. "Alright. Let's get a move on." He forced Romeo up into a sitting position and slid out of the booth. He moved over to Crutchie and grabbed the metal crutch that lay on the ground, only a split second before the fourteen year old. Crutchie stuck his tongue out at him but Race just laughed and kneeled down. "Cmon kid. Ya need some sleep." And Crutchie reluctantly got on his back.

Jack laughed as Romeo just sat for a moment, trying to wake himself up. So he walked over and helped the boy out of the booth, gently pushing him towards Race. "I gotta clean up a bit, but I'll catch up with you guys in a minute." He promised.

Race nodded. "See ya then, Jack." He smiled before leaving the diner, an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. Of course he ignored it. Cause what could ever go wrong in New York City in the middle of the night anyways.

"Your foster folks don't care if you're out this late, Rome?" Crutchie asked from Race's back. The little boy shook his head.

"Normally they's too busy ta even notice." Romeo explained. Race was grateful that those people never laid a hand on his brother. Sure, they may forget about him from time to time, but they'd never hurt him. And he was happy for that.

Race ruffled the boy's hair and smirked. "Well I don't know about them, but I'd sure as hell notice if ya wasn't there." He assured. Smiling as the boy scoffed and shook his head.

That's how it should be all the time. Brothers. Together. Laughing and having a good time. But then Race turned the corner. And all of that was put in jeopardy.

"Hello boys." An evil man smirked, adjusting his suit as if he was important. Around him stood about six men. They wore uniforms and badges and their belts were loaded with weapons and handcuffs. They were guards. Familiar guards.

Race froze in his tracks. His eyes widened and he instinctively took a step back. He prepped himself to run but the voice stopped him again. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Racetrack." Race tried to not let his fear get the better of him, but he found himself unable to move.

"Romeo," The boy whispered, harshly, refusing to give up and let them all be taken. "Run."

The little boy hesitated for only a moment, giving Race the most heartbreaking, terrified look he'd ever seen, before he sprinted in the direction of Jacobi's. One of the guards made a move to go after him but the boss put his hand up. "Let the boy go. He's of no use to us." And Race got a very bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Then the man nodded to the two remaining kids. "This will just be easier if you don't put up a fight."

Crutchie wasn't expecting for someone from behind to grab him off of Race's back with so much force. He grunted as he was thrown to the ground, holding his leg in distress. Then he looked up to see the same man wrap his arm around Race's waist and press his other hand over the boy's mouth and nose, a rag making it hard for the kid to breathe held there firmly.

"Race!" Crutchie cried out and Race heard him, but he felt distant as he breathed in whatever foul smelling substance was on the rag the man had pressed over his face. He struggled but his arms were pinned at his sides and he felt himself beginning to become weak. His legs gave out from underneath him and the man let him fall to the ground. The last thing Race saw was a silver pinky ring before his world went black.

 **Alright, please be sure to check out my other fics! I just updated two of them; Still Callin' You Baby, and Working With What We Got. Please make sure to go read and review those ones!**

 **I'm always in the mood for requests or suggestions for stories! They always make my day! I write them and then I make them into something maybe no one expected so if you've got a scene in your head that you want someone else to write for you (been there, trust me) just tell me what it is in the reviews and your wish is my command, the only rules of this genie are: no main character OC's. I'll write OCs occasionally as villains but I'm not huge on writing love interests that weren't there previously if that makes sense.**

 **As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change and what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Love ya babes!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi guys! I don't think you guys know how much fun I actually have writing these stories. I know that sounds terrible but hey, here you are reading them because we all need a little hurt!Race and a little hurt!Crutchie in our lives. But yeah. This is my guilty pleasure. So it's fun for me.**

 **Thank you so much to those of you who reviewed! Teeloganroryflan, sidenotes-from-satan, and queenlmno. Also thank you to those of you who are still reviewing Just Breathe. Those reviews are not irrelevant, in fact I love reviews from previous stories. I'm just addicted to them at this point actually. But anyways, please make sure to check out some of my other fics. Please make sure to check out my one-shot A Brother's Fight. I would love to get more reviews for that one. I loved writing it. It was so much fun! So if you wouldn't mind reading it and reviewing it. Tell me in the reviews for that if you want to see another story like that and give me any request you'd like.**

 **I love requests! If you have an idea and you don't feel like writing it for any reason but you still want someone to write it, in your gal and your wish is my command. Feel free to send me any requests through the reviews or PM. Thank you!**

 **Enjoy this short little chapter. Sorry it's so short but I like this scene.**

Jack had just finished wiping down the counters when he heard the door open again. He looked over to see Romeo, breathing hard, hunched over trying to catch his breath. Fresh tears were running down his sweet face and sobs were clearly heard throughout the empty room. No one had ever seen their youngest brother in such a state of panic. Jack wasted no time running up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder, hoping that nothing too terrible had happened. But he saw the look on the boy's face. And Jack felt very scared all of the sudden.

"Romeo, breathe." Jack ordered, rubbing the boy's back. He sat down right there next to the door and took the twelve year old into his arms, shushing him and pleading with him to stop hyperventilating. "Breathe kid." Jack soothed. "What happened?" He asked, shocked when Romeo threw his arms around his neck and sobbed onto his shoulder.

Romeo tried to speak. "R... Race an-and Crutchie..." He hiccuped. "The-they-" He tried to explain but Jack's phone went off just as the boy was about to finish, making the poor kid jump at the sudden noise in the room.

Jack sighed in relief when he saw the caller ID. He flipped open his phone almost yelling through the damn thing. "Racer, what the hell happened? Romeo's scared ta death! Where are you guys?" No matter how many bad things happened in Jack's life, he could've never prepared himself for the response he received from the other end of the line. Could have never prepared himself for the things that were about to happen.

"Unfortunately, Mr. Higgins won't be available to speak for a while. You'll have to just deal with me instead." Jack froze. He went silent as he didn't think he'd ever be so terrified in his life. He tightened his arms around the panicked boy in his lap as his brain tried to process what was happening. That voice was the one that had been haunting him for years. A voice he never wanted to hear again.

"Snyder." Jack growled, though the fear in him was still evident in his voice. "What did you do with 'em?" He demanded, images of his poor brothers in chains flashing through his mind as he did.

"Nothing yet, Mr. Kelly." Snyder spoke calmly and cooly as he continued. "And if you want it to stay that way, you better do as I ask without question." He ordered.

Jack opened his mouth to respond, but as he tried to form words he found that he couldn't. He felt sick. He felt like his whole world was in jeopardy. He was forced to remain silent as the evil man continued to speak. "You have twenty four hours to deliver to me the money that I should've gotten for keeping you in my care."

Jack shook his head, not even realizing that he had begun to rock the boy in his lap back and forth as he cried or that tears had made their way to his own eyes as he thought about the gravity of what was happening right now. "There's no way I can get ya that money!" Jack countered, angry at the man when he began to laugh.

"Well you better figure it out." Snyder chuckled. "The gimp is not gonna last long in here. Not being able to walk without his crutch and all. He already seems to be a bit shaken up. And the older one..." Jack could practically see the evil smile on the man's face. He could see the glint in his eyes as he talked about his boys that way. "Well let's just say, I could make a lot of money off of him." The man finished.

"Don't touch 'em you bastard!" Romeo jumped when his big brother's voice broke and he held tightly to the older boy. After a moment he heard Jack give another demand. "I want proof."

Jack held his breath as all he heard from the other end was silence. He thought about what the man had said. Crutchie didn't have his crutch. They were probably fixing to beat him with it again. The poor kid was probably scared to death. And Racetrack... Jack took a very shaky breath as he remembered all the times he'd told his second in command that he'd never have to go through that torture again. And it killed him that Race was back there with the man that had chained him up and done it to him the first time. He closed his eyes and held Romeo tight as he waited. Then he heard a very small, very scared voice. "Jack...?"

"Crutchie!" Jack sighed in relief. "Crutchie are you ok? Did they hurt ya?" He asked in a hurry, worried when the kid sniffled and quietly spoke into the phone. Jack was desperate to find the terrified boy and bring him into his arms.

"They've been kickin' my leg... and Race... he won't wake up..." Crutchie whispered, his voice shaking with each and every word.

"Crutchie calm down. What did they do ta Race? Why won't he wake up?" Jack asked, concerned.

"They drugged him." Crutchie's tears started falling as he looked across the room to his unconscious brother. "And he won't wake up." The poor gimp didn't try to contain the sob that escaped him as he really thought about the situation. They were in trouble. And they had no way out of it. So he leaned closer to the phone that had been shoved up to his ear and took in the voice of his brother. "Jack please get us outta here... they're gonna hurt him... and me."

"Calm down, kid. I'm gonna come and get you as soon as I can ok? It'll be ok." Jack was well aware of the unsteadiness of his voice. But he tried to soothe the boy anyway. "I'm comin'." He promised. He heard Crutchie sniffle and open his mouth, about to say something when another hateful voice filled his ear.

"See? He's fine." The evil man laughed, but Jack wasn't satisfied.

"What about Race?" Jack demanded. "He won't wake up. What did ya do ta him? I wanna talk with him."

"You have twenty four hours. Or a little chloroform will be the least of your problems." And then the line went dead.

Jack was barely able to keep himself from throwing his phone across the room. He took in a deep breath and leaned his head up against the wall, still clutching to the small boy in his lap that was still hyperventilating. But Jack himself wasn't much better.

"What are ya gonna do, Jack?" Jack sniffled and wiped at the tears on his face with the back of his hand as the boy looked up at him with panicked eyes. But he looked down at that sweet face and found himself not able to lie the kid.

"I don't know, kid." He whispered, looking away from those big brown eyes and up at the ceiling. "I don't know."

For a while the two just sat there. There was no way that Jack could give Snyder what he wanted. He didn't have that kind of money. He was a foster kid who worked at a diner for a little more than minimum wage and had almost twenty people to help feed. Then a thought occurred to him and he fumbled with his phone until it opened and the proper number was punched in.

Jack coached himself to breathe as the seconds ticked by and the sound of his phone trying to make a call echoed in his head. Finally, a groggy voice answered the phone. "Hello?"

"You owe me a favor." Jack said in a hurry. "I need your help."

 **I love it.**

 **As always, thank you guys so much for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change or what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Love ya babes!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Good morning fansies! Thank you guys so much for your reviews! They mean the world to me!**

 **Fanz4life: Sorry hon, but we all know that torturing Race is my favorite thing to write. So odds are, that stories gonna end up on here at some point. As for Still Callin' You Baby, you're just gonna have to read and find out. I don't do spoilers. ;) I want to have you know, I very much appreciate the fact that you stick with my stories and review them all the time! I love you and I appreciate your feedback very much! I started writing a Jatherine one-shot because I know how much you would like one of those, however it might take me a while. I have an idea I'm just not sure how ta get there, if that makes sense. Anyways, thank you so much for sticking with me through my stories!**

 **Teeloganroryflan: Stay tunes for the next chapter. You'll find out. Honestly I wasn't sure if it would be obvious or not but hey, we'll see if you figure it out or not. Thank you so much for reviewing! I love your reviews!**

 **sidenotes-from-satan: I do... it's called being seventeen, on summer vacation, and having no friends. Hahaha my life is so sad. No but honestly I write all my stories on my phone in a private app. Whenever I'm just sitting around I'll either be reading or writing. So most of these stories I'm already way ahead on. The ones I'm caught up with are Working With What We Got and Still Callin You Baby. So yeah. Just have no life and you'll be free all the time to do whatever the hell you want.**

 **Ok... I'm sorry...**

Race slowly regained consciousness. Everything was a big blur and he couldn't seem to grasp at important memories. As he started to return to reality, he found that he was sitting up against a wall and was having trouble moving. His arms were strung above his head and something metal and painful was wrapped around his wrists. He also noticed that his feet were unable to move apart. Then all to quickly, the events that had occurred caught up to him and his eyes shot open to let him see a world that lead him straight into a panic.

It was a small cell. Three solid walls and one made out of metal bars that he sat directly across from. His blue eyes flew around the room and he saw blood stains on the cold ground. He saw scratches on the walls. And he knew how they got there. This cell was the one he was dragged to all those years ago.

Race struggled but the handcuffs that bound his wrists were wrapped around a hook above his head. As his petrified, icy blue eyes darted around the small space, he couldn't contain his panic. "No no no no no..." Race muttered to himself as his pulled on the handcuffs, vigorously, successfully cutting open his wrists. His eyes burned with tears as he felt the blood beginning to cover his lower arms. He now was able to clearly see ropes wrapped around his ankles and then again around his knees. "Hey!" Race screamed, his voice filled to the brim with terror. "Let me outta here! Please! Let me out!" As he continued to yell, he heard a softer, calmer voice that was barely able to make him take a breath.

"Race!" Crutchie called quietly. His brother didn't hear him as he frantically cried out for someone, anyone to just let him out. "Race!" He called louder. In all the time he'd known Race, maybe eight or nine years now, he'd never heard the older boy beg, so terrified that he hadn't even realized that Crutchie was in the same room with him. "Racetrack!" He screamed again, louder. And finally the other boy quieted down and all that was heard was his rushed, shallow breaths. It broke Crutchie's heart to see the boy so out of it. It hurt him to see Race in such a panic.

"C-Crutchie?" Race's voice shook and jumped at every pitch. He leaned his head against the cool wall behind him, shutting his eyes, trying to convince himself that he wasn't back here, in this place that had haunted him for the past two years.

Crutchie sniffled and nodded in the dark. "Yeah, it's me." The boy sat up against the bars to the outside of the small cell. His left hand was cuffed to one of the bars and his legs were brought up to his chest as he curled up in the corner of the room, wishing for nothing more than being able to sit right next to his petrified, older brother.

Race took in a shaky breath. "Why are we here?" He tugged on his cuffs again, willing them to just open for him. But they didn't.

Crutchie shrugged, knowing that Race wasn't looking at him. "Snyder..." The name made them both shutter, but Crutchie continued. "He wants to get back at Jack." He explained. "They planted a tracker on me so they knew where we'd be."

Race shook his head. How could he let this happen? He felt the tears streaming down his face. The man with the ring would not leave his mind. He knew what was coming. He just didn't expect it to come too soon.

Race jumped as the door swung open, and a man walked in. He had long, shaggy brown hair that ended above his shoulders. He had handsome features and an evil smile. His brown eyes were dark and scary. He wore a black hoodie and on his left hand was a silver pinky ring. When he smiled at Race, the boy frantically pulled on the chains that held him still. He choked out a soft sob and refused to meet Crutchie's eyes, as he was completely humiliated by his cowardliness.

"Aww don't be scared, little one." He teased as he slowly walked over to the boy and sat on his knees in front of him. He grabbed Race's chin, roughly, forcing the boy to look at him with teary, terrified eyes. "Snyder told me I could have some fun with you tonight." He smirked and Race struggled again, only for the man to hold him still again. Then he leaned in, whispering in the boy's ear. "I don't need an excuse anymore, baby. You're all mine."

Race lost it. He forgot about the fact that his little brother was in the room and that he promised himself to never look weak in front of him. He forgot about everything else but getting out. "Help!" He cried, ripping his chin out of the man's grip. "Please! Please don't let him do this! Please let me out!"

Crutchie let the tears fall freely down his face as he heard the screams. He tugged at the cuffs that kept him from his brother but he couldn't break free. He was forced to sit and watch his brother cry out for help that wasn't coming.

Race continued to struggle and scream until a hard slap met his cheek. He yelped in pain and his head snapped to the side. "You know my rules about screaming, Race." The man scolded, pulling a rag out of his back pocket. The thing had a knot in the middle of it. The man smiled evilly as he moved to Race's hands.

Suddenly, Race realized that Crutchie was here too. And he couldn't stop the inevitable now. So as the man moved to rebind his hands, probably behind his back, the kid yelled, trying desperately to preserve his baby brother's innocence. "Crutchie, close your eyes!" He ordered. "I don't care what you hear or what you want to do! You do not open them!" Race fought, but the man was able to take his sweatshirt and t-shirt off and throw them across the cell.

Crutchie shook his head. He didn't want his brother to go through this alone. He knew what was happening, he took a guess at who the man was and he didn't think he could do it. He sobbed for his brother's sake and did as he was told. He closed his eyes tight and pressed his face into the metal bars to try and keep himself calm.

Race fought hard as the man cuffed his hands behind his back. But he wasn't able to break free from the man's grasp. In one final attempt to stop this, Race pleaded. "Drake please... please... don't do this... not again..." He begged. But the man just laughed and forced the rag into the boy's mouth so the knot was wedged between his teeth.

Crutchie did as he was told. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly. No matter how terrible he felt or how much he wanted to help his brother through this, he didn't open his eyes. And he didn't open his eyes when he heard heart shattering screams.

 **Aww poor Race :(. I don't know why it's entertaining for me to write these things. It's terrible. I must be a terrible person.**

 **If you have any requests, be sure to leave them in the reviews or PM me at any time. I love writingthe stories you guys wanna see! Thank you!**

 **As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change and what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Thank you! Love ya babes!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Good morning lovely people who have decided to continue reading this story. Thank you so much! Thank you to Teeloganroryflan for reviewing my last heartbreaking chapter. Love you!**

 **Remember that I'm always good for a request. In fact I love them! So be sure to leave me one if you have it and I'll do my best to bring it to life. Thank you!**

 **Enjoy!**

Jack sat in his apartment. He hadn't slept all night. He knew that something terrible was happening right now. It was four AM. He'd taken Romeo home, assuring him that everything would be ok. The boy had refused to let go of him, prompting Jack to sneak into his house with him and sit with him until the little boy fell asleep. Then he'd snuck back out and sobbed all the way home.

Now he waited. He waited, knowing something completely inhuman was being done to the two people that he'd known forever and that he needed. He needed all of his brothers.

Finally, he heard a knock on his door. He basically jumped off of the mattress that he'd been sitting on and sprinted to the door. Throwing it open, he sighed in relief as he saw two boys show up at his door. "Thank God!" He grabbed both boys and pulled them inside.

"What's this about, Kelly?" The older one asked, his arms crossed as he yawned, clearly exhausted. The younger one didn't speak. He looked to be a dead man walking. The boy must've been really tired.

"Snyder's got two of my brothers." Jack explained quickly. The two boys' eyes widened.

"What does he want?" One of them asked, the older one.

"The money he would've gotten if I didn't escape." Jack told them. Then he began pacing. "I don't know what ta do. I just know you guys have ta know how ta get in and out of the Refuge easier than I do and you've gotta know where they're keepin' 'em." He stated.

Morris sighed and looked at his younger brother. "They have Crutchie don't they?" He sighed, knowing how close those two were.

"And Race?" Oscar added, realizing that he'd never seen Jack so panicked and that those two boys knew him the best and, in turn, knew how to calm him down.

Jack just nodded, wordlessly. "Will ya help me?" He asked. He couldn't stand still. Both of the boys looked at him for a moment before Oscar stepped forward.

"Yeah, Kelly." He decided. "We'll help ya."

"Yeah." Morris agreed. "Whatever it takes."

Crutchie sat in silence. His knuckles were white as he clutched to the bars that he sat next to. The poor gimp had tears streaming down his face. He'd done it. He didn't open his eyes. It was one of the hardest things he'd ever been forced to sit through. He was forced to sit and listen to the muffled screams of a boy he loved like a brother. He was forced to listen as he was teased and tormented by an evil man. So he watched his brother as he tried to calm himself down from what he'd just listened to.

Race was back up against the wall. His arms were, once again, chained above his head, forcing his bare chest to be exposed. His legs were still bound together with thick ropes, making it hard for the boy to move at all. The boy's pants remained, allowing him to hold onto a sliver of his dignity in front of his little brother. And the gambler still had a rag wedged between his teeth. His eyes were closed and his head was leaned back against the wall and his forehead rested on his upper left arm. The blond Italian was breathing hard and Crutchie could clearly tell, even in the dark, that his big brother was crying.

Crutchie let himself cry. He held himself as he cried. Praying to be found. He prayed for his brother to come to him and get them both out of there. They couldn't survive like this for very long.

Race didn't bother trying to struggle. He was trapped. And that wasn't something that Race gave into easily. It had been close to an hour since Drake had left and he didn't have the strength to even look at his brother. Luckily, he didn't have to force himself to as a soft, scared voice was heard in the small room.

"Race?" Crutchie asked. He saw the other boy shake his head in the darkness and he sighed. "Race look at me." He demanded, softly, trying desperately to think of what Jack would do in this type of situation. He realized that Jack's voice probably wouldn't be shaking, as his was, and he wouldn't have abandoned his brother as he was going through that torture. He would've demanded that Drake not touch Race and go after him instead. But Crutchie wasn't as strong as Jack. So he did the only thing he could think to do. "Race please just look at me."

Race sniffled and finally opened up his icy blue eyes. He looked up at Crutchie, his head not moving from its previous position. "We are gonna get out of here." He promised. "Jack's comin'... I know it. It's all gonna be ok." He tried to soothe and just as Race might've started to believe it, the door to the hallway outside the cell was opened.

Race looked at his little brother, wide eyed, as footsteps were heard coming closer to them. Then suddenly, Snyder was in front of the cell. His hands were on the bars as he smiled down at his prey. "Hello boys." He greeted. "I hope you've enjoyed your stay so far." The man twirled around some keys in his hand before moving over to the door and unlocking it. He moved to the middle of the cell, pulling on a chain that was attached to a single lightbulb that lit up the room.

Snyder laughed as he looked upon Race. The boy's face was soaked with tears and his terrified, soft eyes were looking straight at him. "Aww," He cooed, kneeling down in front of the boy. He took the boy's chin in his hand and smirked when Race didn't even make one move to struggle out of it. "I told Drake to take it easy on you." He playfully frowned. "Oh well."

Crutchie couldn't take it. "Leave him alone." He tried, weakly as he pulled at his cuffs. "He's already hurtin'. Let him be."

Snyder didn't turn to the younger boy. He just, carefully, untied Race's gag and spoke to him instead. "Looks like someone wasn't here long enough to learn the rules." He spoke, dangerously. He gently pushed Race's curly blond hair out of his eyes, making the boy shiver as he took in a shaky breath. "I think he needs someone to tell him how things work in this cell."

Race's glare quickly turned from terrified to defiant when the man said this. "Let him go." Race demanded. "You only need one of us ta get ta Jack. You can keep me. Just let him go." Race glanced over to his best friend. He saw those innocent, green eyes staring back at him, wide eyed.

Snyder chuckled. "Oh, Mr. Higgins." He tisked. "Are you telling me that I should teach him the hard way? I was trying to save you the trouble of watching him go through that."

Race looked back over at his brother, stubborn tears making their way back to his eyes as he saw the water works falling down the boy's face. The older boy sniffled and looked back at Snyder. "You don't speak unless someone speaks ta you first." He recited, his anger rising to the surface.

"Good boy." Snyder approved, making Crutchie want to gag. His brother looked at him with sorry eyes before Snyder grabbed the gambler's face, forcing the scared boy to look at him. "But I still think Jack needs a little more motivation."

Race was confused for a moment. But then Snyder stood and started walking over to his younger friend and he felt panic surge through him. "No!" He cried, hoping that Snyder would turn on him instead of the innocent little boy in the corner. "Don't hurt him! Please!"

Snyder laughed. "Drake?" He called. The man in question then walked into view, causing Race to, painfully, bring his knees up to his chest and scoot into the wall in fear. The man entered the room, a silver crutch in his hand. He happily handed the thing over to Snyder. "Thank you."

Crutchie glanced over at his friend as Snyder took his crutch in his hands. "Race!" He called out on instinct, practically begging the older boy to tell him what to do. But Race sadly shook his head.

"Please!" He begged, pulling on his chains. "Please don't! You can hurt me all you want but leave him alone!" Race screamed. But then Snyder nodded to Drake.

"Start untying him," He said, jerking his head in Race's direction. "Then hold him down. Make sure he can't interfere." And Drake nodded, slowly walking over to a cowering Italian boy.

Race shook his head, letting himself slowly slip down the wall as far as he possible could. Then he heard metal connect with flesh, a heart breaking scream and his whole world shattered. "Stop!"

"I'd be quiet if I were you, Anthony." Race looked away from the other boy to see Drake standing over him with a knife in his hand. He let more tears fall as he heard Crutchie screaming for Jack to help them. But he froze as Drake squatted down in front of him, casually playing with the blade he held.

Snyder stopped hitting the small boy on the floor. He smiled down at the screaming, sobbing boy and nodded, seemingly happy with his handy work. The kid was curled up in a tight ball on the floor, crying out for Jack to come and stop him from being hurt. "Have them upstairs in fifteen minutes." Snyder demanded before leaving.

Race gave one, desperate push off the wall to try and get to his sobbing, beaten brother. But he was rewarded with a cold blade against his chest. Race took in a shaky breath as Drake began to move thing over his bare skin. He dragged it in odd patterns, making the boy shiver as the cold knife traveled down to his lower stomach.

Drake laughed. "I'm sorry we don't have time for another round, pretty boy." He traced the knife up to Race's chin, forcing the boy to lift his head with the blade, exposing his pale neck. Then, the man leaned down, pressing his lips to the boy's skin for a lingering amount of time, causing Race's whole body to begin to tremble as his breaths became forced and shallow. Drake pulled away and looked up at the small boy, his face inches from his captive's. "But we'll have some more time later to have some fun." And then the knife went down to Race's knees, slicing through the ropes around them followed by the ropes around his ankles. But the boy didn't dare move.

"Let me make sure he's ok." Was all that he was able to breathe out. "Please." The other boy was still sobbing on the ground, oblivious to everything else happening around him.

Drake smirked at him, but actually seemed to consider the request. He stood and unlocked Race's handcuffs and stood back, simply watching the boy.

Race stared up at the man that had tortured him. He rubbed at his hurting wrists and gave the man a confused look. But Drake just smirked and gestured to Crutchie with open arms. The Italian didn't hesitate before pushing himself to his knees and practically crawling over to his brother. He held shaky hands above his friend's heaving, shaking form before he gently touched his brother's arm.

Crutchie jumped when someone touched him, expecting to get struck again, but he looked up and saw his best friend over him. He uncurled himself from his protective position and sobbed as he was scooped up into the older boy's lap. He let Race rock him back and forth, trying to calm his breathing.

"It's ok, Crutch." Race whispered, ignoring Drake as he unlocked the boy's handcuffs, simply holding the boy tighter as the kid's arm was pulled in between their chests. "It's ok, kid. I'm right here." His voice shook as he tried to calm the boy down by running a hand over his back. He pressed a kiss to the back of the boy's head as Crutchie buried his head in his shoulder.

"Alright boys." Drake sighed. Standing at the open door. He pulled a pistol out of his belt loop and pointed it at the two kids. "Let's go." He gestured for them to get up.

Race looked down at the beaten kid in his lap. There was no way Crutchie was gonna be able to make it up the stairs this way. But when neither of them moved, Drake started to get irritated. "Cmon! Get up and walk ya little idiots!" He demanded.

"He can't walk ya bastard!" Race shot back before he could even comprehend those words in his head. Immediately he regretted it. It was his mouth that had started his own hell two years ago. And he still wasn't able to control it. The boy looked down, not wanting to see the pleased expression on the evil man's face as he now had another excuse to punish him. "He can't walk..." Race tried again, in a more hushed tone as his little brother held onto him tighter. "You guys took his crutch away." He explained, as calmly as he could.

"Figure it out." Drake demanded, his patience clearly running thin. So Race sighed and leaned down to Crutchie's ear.

"Can you stand?" He whispered. The smaller boy nodded, hesitantly. Race slowly stood to his feet, bringing up Crutchie with him. Crutchie put his arm around his brother, preparing to start hoping but as all his weight was transferred onto his one leg, he found that he couldn't support himself and almost fell to the ground on his face, if it wasn't for Race catching him.

Race barely stopped his brother from hitting his head on the cold concrete floor of their prison. He grunted and held his breath and he kept the fourteen year old up right. As Crutchie tried to move forward again and had to clutch onto Race's arm for stability as he almost fell to the ground again, Race found himself able to straighten up, his own pain sort of melting away.

Crutchie anticipated his best friend's next action. "Race don't." He said. "You're hurt too." He tried, but Race shook his head.

"Hold onto me, kid." Race said, ignoring the boy and scooping him up in his arms. One arm under his knees and the other behind the kid's back. Crutchie winced and shook his head but Race just shushed him as he cradled him to his chest. "I got you. You're ok." And for the first time in all the time that they'd been in that cell, Crutchie actually believed that.

"Get up the stairs." Drake ordered, stepping behind Race, pressing the gun into the kid's bare back, forcing him forward. "I'm gonna deal with you later." He whispered into the Italian's ear.

Crutchie laid his head on his brother's shoulder. "I love you, Race." He breathed as quietly as he could, fearing that whatever was to happen would take away his chances of ever telling the older boy that.

Race felt tears prick at his eyes as he looked down at the kid in his arms. He pressed a brotherly kiss to his blond hair, silently saying the same thing back. Because there would be another time to say it. There had to be. Jack was coming. And everything would be ok.

...Right?

 **If you guys think I write too much of this kinda really dark stuff, tell me. Honestly I write these things because to me, rape and sexual harassment are very real and sometimes it can get way out of hand. Trust me, I know. But if it makes you uncomfortable I do have to warn you, it does get worse further in, like way further in. But I never write anything too graphic. So there's that. But I appreciate you guys who have been with me since the beginning and I love y'all!**

 **As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change or what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Love ya kids!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello everybody! Just a reminder that reviews are the reason I post. I would love your guys' feedback! It really helps me with other stories too! If there's things in this story you like that you'd like to see in other stories, or things in here you don't like so much that you would not like to see in other stories. So thank you Teeloganroryflan for reviewing my last chapter! I can't tell you how much it means to me! Love ya!**

 **This might be one of the darkest stories I've written, but the one I've been mentioning, the one with a lot of Race getting tortured, will probably be equally as dark, so if you don't like this, let me know, or if you do like this, let me know. I will warn you guys, it gets worse before it gets better.**

 **:). I love you guys!**

 _Jack tried to breathe. He tried to move. He tried to do anything but it seemed he was paralyzed in place. He couldn't move._

 _Through a window he saw them. The two people he held closest in the world, being treated like damn animals. As the guards sat on the benches and in the chairs, the two young boys were sitting on the ground at their feet. Whenever one of them would move they'd be kicked in the side or in the stomach. So they both sat silently, just waiting for the men to finish their meals._

 _But then it happened. One of the guards stood and forgot Crutchie was in front of them. The gimp boy couldn't move out of the way fast enough. The guard tripped over him, falling to his face on the ground. Jack watched as Race immediately ran over to his brother, wrapping his arms around the boy and holding him close, doing his best to shield him for the inevitable beating he'd soon receive. But he wasn't able to stop the guard from pulling out a gun._

 _Jack's heart stopped. He found himself suddenly able to move as the scene unfolded in front of him. He made it into the room just in time to see Snyder rounding the corner and giving a nod. Jack's world went silent as he pulled the trigger. He heard his own scream as the bullet seemed to move in slow motion to his baby brother's neck. And he was powerless to stop it._

 _Jack had to watch as Race's face filled with helpless tears. He watched as the Italian held the bleeding boy closer as he tried to stop the bleeding in the kid's neck. But it was clear Crutchie couldn't breathe. The boy choked on his own blood as his body shook against Race's. It looked like he was having a seizure of some kind. And as Race screamed, he didn't notice the man behind him, a knife in his hand._

 _Jack cried out again as he watched the blade pierce through Race's skin, in his back. He was suddenly able to lunge forward and scoop up Crutchie in his own arms and then catch Race's head on his shoulder as the boy fell. He shook the fourteen year old in his arms, rocking him back and forth, praying to God he'd just take a satisfying breath, but the boy choked once more and then went still in his arms._

 _"No no no no no Crutch." Jack mumbled. "No! Cmon kid, open your eyes!" When he got no response, he just shook the boy again. "Crutchie!" But it was no use. His baby brother was gone._

 _Jack tried to lift Race's head off his shoulder and saw his best friend trying to breathe. He saw the blood coming through the front of his shirt, meaning the knife must've cut all the way through his thin body. As Race struggled to take in a proper breath, Jack panicked. He cradled the boy's cheek in his hand. "Cmon Race. Look at me." But the boy didn't respond. "Race I'm right here! You're gonna be ok! Just please look at me!" But Race's lips became soaked with red liquid and he began choking hard. "Race!" Jack's heart wrenching cry was all that was heard but he continued screaming. "Race no!" Race fell to the floor, his eyes wide open but seeing nothing as he took one last breath._

 _"NO!" Jack's voice broke as he sobbed. He laid his head down on Crutchie's forehead after pressing a lingering kiss onto the boy's hairline. He reached over and brought Race closer to him as he pressed his lips to the boy's cold cheek and held the gambler's head to his shoulder._

 _"It's your fault, Jack." A voice from behind him said._

 _"Spider!" Jack ignored the tears streaming down his face. "You killed them!" He screamed, his anger burning in him._

 _The man just smirked and shook his head before he repeated his previous statement. "It's your fault, Jack." Then he walked away, leaving Jack with two boys that weren't supposed to be done living yet._

 _"Jack!" He heard someone call, in a panic. Jack looked around, but no one was there. "Jack!" They called again and suddenly the two boys in his arms faded away and the room became black and then..._

Jack's eyes shot open. He was breathing hard and it took him several moments to realize where he was. His arms were crossed over his chest, comfortably and the seat he sat in was leaning backwards. He could feel himself quivering in his seat and he felt the bead of sweat on his forehead. Then he looked to his left to see a tall, dark haired boy sitting behind a steering wheel. The boy's hand was on his shoulder as he shook Jack.

"Jack, you were dreamin'." The boy sighed. His brown eyes looked at Jack with such a sad expression as the other boy sat up in a hurry.

"Was I-?" Jack was about to ask but the other kid but him off.

"You were just mumblin'." He assured, patting Jack's shoulder as he turned back to the steering wheel. "It's ok, Jack. Everything's gonna be fine."

"You don't know Snyder, Davey." Jack explained. "You don't know what he'll do ta get what he wants." The older boy tried to breathe but as he thought about the images that just passed through his mind, he found he was having trouble. He found that his heart rate was speeding up as he closed his eyes and all he saw were his brothers lying in a pool of blood. His eyes were wide and he reached forward and hunched over as his hand pressed against the dashboard of the car.

Jack thought he might be going insane as so many thoughts filled his mind at once and none of them seemed to make any sense. He tried to mutter to himself that he was fine but his chest was moving so quickly and he couldn't slow it down. Finally he brought his hands up to his face. They were shaking, uncontrollably. The boy found himself unable to think clearly at all.

"Where am I?" He muttered to himself. "Oh God what's happening?" Nothing felt real in that moment. He tried to look around but nothing was clicking in his mind. All he knew was that in a few minutes he might actually pass out and die.

Davey saw the signs. It wasn't the first time he'd been with someone while they were experiencing a panic attack. And if anyone had a reason to be panicking right then, it was Jack. "Jack." Davey spoke carefully and quietly. He gently placed his hand on his friend's shoulder but Jack didn't even seem to notice. "Jack it's ok. You're with me, Jack. We're in my car and we're trying ta get Crutchie and Race back." Still, the older boy was hyperventilating. So Davey got out his phone and quickly dialed a number.

Jack stared at his own trembling hands and he swore he could see blood on them. The blood of his two best friends. As he got lost in his own panic, he heard a soft voice break through his barrier.

"Jack?" The voice of an angel. "Jack? Can you hear me?" It said and Jack didn't look up, but he responded.

"Ace?" Jack called back, not understanding what was going on, but knowing he had to get to the girl now. "Ace, is that... is that you?" He asked in a terrified voice.

Davey's heart broke when he heard how petrified Jack was. He held his phone closer to Jack as the woman on the other end of the line continued talking.

"Yeah baby. It's me. Now listen, I'm on my way right now. I need you to take a deep breath for me ok?" She waited for a minute, letting Jack do as she'd instructed before continuing. "Everything's gonna be ok, alright? You're outside where your brothers are right now and Oscar and Morris are in there, working on a way to get them out." She soothed. "They're gonna be ok."

Jack felt his body relax as he listen to the woman. He was able to look up and see where he was and his heartbeat seemed to slow down a bit. He nodded. "Okay." He spoke, softly. Then he heard a car pull up behind him and his friend and a woman with a phone in her hand jogged up to them. Jack was out of the car in a second. "Katherine!" He sighed in relief as he was engulfed in a hug.

Katherine held the boy she loved like it was the last time she'd ever be able to do so. She pressed a kiss to his cheek and whispered soothing words in his ear as she ran a hand through his soft hair. "It's all gonna be ok. We're gonna take this son of a bitch down." She promised.

Davey got out of the car as the Delanceys ran out of the Refuge, sprinting to them. Neither of them looked like they had good news. "What happened fellas?" He asked, worriedly.

Morris looked over at his heartbroken brother before looking back at the three who were waiting to hear the news. "We have a plan, but it's not ideal."

"It doesn't matter." Jack responded in a hurry, quickly wiping away any signs of the fear that he held. "What about my boys? Are they ok?"

This time, Oscar glanced at his brother, who had the same look on his face. Then he looked to Jack and spoke with a voice full of sadness. "It's bad, Kelly." He said, softly. "It's real bad."

 **I wanted Jack to have a panic attack. I didn't know a better way to trigger it than writing that nightmare. :). I know. I'm a terrible person.**

 **Also, I caught something I said yesterday. For some reason I didn't catch it till like now but rape and sexual harassment are out of hand. No matter what. They don't "get out of hand". I was just saying that it can spiral and get worse. Sorry for my mind that wasn't thinking straight yesterday.**

 **As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change or what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Love ya babes!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Oh my goodness. There's so many reviews. I love it!**

 **Guest (who I'm assuming is all the same person. bexlynne??): bexlynne is that you?? All of the reviews you gave me as a guest just showed up last night and I cried a little. I was so happy! You're reviews are amazing! Your request has been heard! I love the idea! I'll be working on that and it should be done within a few days!**

 **Guest (again. bexlynne. But for your reviews in Just Breathe.): Yeah, I know how you feel about liking the musical version better that the movie. It just makes more sense. And I also had a small crush on Spot Conlon when I was about twelve. He's just so perfect. But I do have to say, from the beginning Racetrack Higgins has always been my favorite. From Max Casella all the way to Ben Tyler Cook. Thanks for asking!**

 **Guest: And I'm glad you like Bones and Stitch. I am thinking about letting them stick around.**

 **Guest: And alright, your Spot and Race story, so here's the thing, in my head they already knew each other. Whenever I'd watch he movie I would watch then interact with each other and they just seemed like friends. So in the musical, I just thought Spot would be just as protective to Race as Jack is with him. Spot just doesn't like to show that he cares, ya know? It's just an idea but I think Spot and Race are great together, I can't wait to see what you come up with!**

 **Guest: Absolutely you can use my "six weeks of silence" idea. It makes me happy that you said my stories "won you over". Originally, I wasn't even completely sold on the idea, but I was like, "what's the one way I can show how Race was really affected by the Refuge?" So I kept it and I really like it. But yeah! Definitely use it! I don't mind at all.**

 **Guest/bexlynne: Thank you so much for reviewing! I love how you exactly describe the things you like about my stories and thank you for telling me you're ok with this story. It really, really means a lot! And I love all your stories. I can't wait to read more of them! Love ya!**

 **Teeloganroryflan: What?? That's awesome! Oh... I mean... what? That wasn't what I meant to do... pfft... what? I'm just kidding. Thank you so much for your continuous reviews! It always makes me smile what I see them!**

 **Fanz4life: I'm laughing! I totally understand if you did that. When I used to read things were authors killed off my favorite characters, I would get so mad. I understand honey, trust me. But I don't do spoilers. So you're just gonna have to wait and see what happens.**

 **selizabethharrisburg: I know how you feel. I keep telling myself I shouldn't enjoy writing these things, but I totally do. It's just too much fun. Thank you so so much for reading it! So, I don't know if you read the first three pieces to this series. I do touch on what the Refuge is a little bit. The time frame is modern. It's 2017, I guess. And the Refuge is sort of like a prison for Foster kids that no one wants, or foster kids that have been seriously misbehaving. In this story, in my head there are other kids there, but I just don't mention them because they're not important to the story line. Does that help? Also, thank you very much for your support. It means a lot.**

 **Wow. Long authors note. Anyways, enjoy. ;)**

Race ignored his limbs as they screamed in pain. He held Crutchie close to him as they climbed the stairs to wherever the evil man behind them was pushing them. He tried to contain his fear as the cold barrel of the gun was held to his bare back and he silently walked, tightly keeping his hold on the younger boy in his arms. As they made it to the top of the stairway, Race realized where he was being lead. And he didn't like it.

There were all of the guards sitting around in the same room. Race sighed as he remembered being dragged in here before, by Drake. The man had wanted to humiliate him. And he'd succeeded. So Race froze as all eyes landed on him. His first instinct was to back away as men stood and advanced on him and his friend. Unfortunately, there was a pistol pressed into his back and the man that had lead him there grabbed his arm, forcing him forward, into the room.

"What's the matter, Racetrack?" Drake teased as he forced the boy, who was trying so damn hard to be brave, closer to the guards. "There's nothin' to be scared of, little one." He laughed as he pushed him forward, into the crowd.

Race cried out as Crutchie was ripped from his arms. The younger boy called out for him, desperately and Race tried to run to him but his arms were seized and held behind him as he was dragged backwards. He watched as the smaller boy was thrown on the floor and as the men stepped on him and kicked him.

"Crutchie!" Race cried as he fought to get out of the hold that kept him from his best friend. The crip screamed as he was beat for no reason and Race was powerless to stop it. "Stop it! He's just a kid!" Race tried, desperately. But suddenly there was something that was pulled between his teeth from behind. He heard a laugh that kept him up at night to think about and suddenly he was on his knees in front a couch in the room, watching as Crutchie breathed hard on the ground after his latest beating.

Drake laughed as he sat back on the couch. He held a thin cloth, one side in each hand, as he manipulated the boy on the ground in front of him like a puppet. Two other guards, sitting on either side of the handsome man held Race's arms tightly, so the boy wasn't able to make any move to escape. But still, the boy struggled and screamed for freedom. "Be quiet, Race." Drake hissed into the boy's ear and the kid was. His breathing sped up and his entire body became tense. "Don't forget that it's your stupid mouth that got you into this mess in the first place." The evil man rubbed his thumb over Race's cheek.

"Leave him alone." Crutchie rasped from his position on the ground. He rolled around, trying to push himself up, but he was only rewarded with a foot on his back, keeping him down.

Race screamed out a cry of help as his panicked and confused senses saw two other boys in the room. Boys he was once afraid of, but now thought he'd be able to trust. But his heart dropped when he saw the younger of the two put his boot into his best friend's back.

"Stay down ya stupid crip!" Oscar yelled as he forced the young boy onto the ground, guilt rising up in him when the boy cried out.

The other boy smirked and walked over to the poor kid on his knees. He grabbed a fist full of Race's hair and forced the gagged boy to look up at him. "Hey there, Racetrack." The older boy laughed, bile rising in his own throat as tears rose in the boy's angry blue eyes.

"Did I forget to mention the Delancey brothers stopped by to check on our two new guests?" Snyder smiled from the doorway.

Oscar laughed and grabbed the young crip by the back of his shirt and picked him up, throwing him against the wall as gently as he could without any suspicions rising in the guards. Crutchie looked up at him with wide eyes as he advanced on him. Then suddenly, Oscar was holding him to the wall. His hand was on his chest as Crutchie tried to struggle out of the grip, terrified of what Oscar was about to do. But then, he heard the boy's voice in his ear. "We're gonna get you outta here. Make it look real."

Crutchie didn't have time to understand what the other boy meant before Oscar shoved him to the ground with almost no force. So Crutchie did what he was told and made it look real. He cried out as he hit the ground, pretending he wasn't able to protect himself from the hurt.

Morris smirked at Race still. He shoved the boy back into the monster that held him still. But Race looked up to see a look in the older boy's eyes. A clear look that told him to play along that was there for only a split second before the evil glint in his eyes returned. Morris was forced to watch Race struggle and Drake laugh and pull him back to him.

"Tie his hands behind his back, will ya Delancey?" One of the guards to Drake's side asked. "He's squirming too much."

Before Race could comprehend what was happening, the gag was slipped out of his mouth and Drake's knee pushed him forward with the help of the two guards that had been holding his arms and the poor kid was forced to the ground, his bare chest making harsh contact with the cold floor. Then he felt Morris sit on his back, grabbing both of his wrists and forcing them together. But Race hadn't expected the older bully to lean down to his ear and whisper some words of comfort to him. "It's alright, kid. Jack's outside with Jacobs. We're gonna get you both outta here. Now pretend like I just threatened you." He ordered, sitting back up and wrapping ropes around the boy's wrists, pinning his hands together.

Race did as he was told. "Let me go ya bastard!" He screamed at the bully, struggling hard as his hands were bound. But then Morris pushed Race back up, into Drake's embrace. The Italian was, once again, on his knees in between the evil man's legs like some sort of pet.

Drake smiled, evilly, and it made Oscar sick to watch. He stood above the poor gimp who was still there on the floor, the boy looked at him for a moment with a pleading look while everyone else's attention was on Racetrack. Oscar just gave him a sad smile before glancing back up at Race. Drake had his chin in his hand and he forced the boy to look up at Morris.

"Go ahead, Delancey." Drake smiled. "Punish him. He can't talk ta ya like that." He insisted. Crutchie and Oscar watched with pitiful faces as Race was forced to look up at the older boy, waiting for the bully to unleash his anger on him.

Morris looked down at the kid. The kid they were sent in here to make sure was ok and not to hurt him. The kid who had helped save his damn life a few months ago. A kid who had slowly become his friend. A kid who he knew had been through too much already and didn't deserve this. Morris stood, awkwardly while the entire room turned on him, waiting for him to make his move and hurt the sixteen year old that was on his knees, already hurt and scared, though not showing it, for the sake of his brother on the other side of the room. No, Race sat there with his glare defiant and his fear pushed to the side.

Race almost smiled. Morris truly had to have been here to help them if it was taking him this long to decide weather or not to hurt him for calling him a bastard. Race struggled a little to no avail, trying to make it look like he really didn't want to be hurt by this boy. But he also knew that if Morris didn't punch him in the face or something, their cover would be blown. Because a Delancey never missed the opportunity to hurt a defenseless captive of the Refuge. So he did the only thing he could think of. "What's the matter, Delancey?" Race challenged, his mouth barely moving as Drake still held his face still. "Ya scared of showin' us that lousy swing of yours or what?" He growled in a low voice, trying to hide his fear. Not his fear of Morris, but more his fear of the man who was holding him still behind him.

Oscar almost laughed. Race sure knew how to push their buttons after all these years. But he glanced down to Crutchie who was watching with such desperation as the scene unfolded and Oscar couldn't help but feel sorry for them. He wanted to get them out, almost as much as Jack did.

"What's the hold up, Morris?" Drake demanded. "Show him what you've got. Make him respect you." Then the man leaned down to Race's left ear, not even an inch from the kid's face and Morris could see the boy start trembling as he whispered to him. "I thought I'd never get the chance to break you again." He stroked the boy's cheek as he continued. "But looks like I do, baby."

Morris had never seen Race so terrified in his life. And suddenly something clicked in his mind. Drake. He knew Drake. He'd known Drake to do some questionable things to some of the kids in there. And he'd heard him talk about a boy that he hadn't gotten enough of. And there was Race, absolutely trapped by him. And the man seemed to take too much pleasure with him so close by, shirtless. So Morris finally smirked. "I've just wanted ta do this for so long, I ain't gonna waste it on one lousy hit." Without warning his fist collided with Race's cheek, gaining a cry of pain from him, and he grabbed the younger boy's arm, forcing him to his feet. "I'll be back in a few minutes. But I can't say the same for him."

Morris's fake smile made him want to throw up. But he shoved Race forward and caught the kid as he tried to struggle and run away. He forced him into another room, the one that Snyder had been hiding in, and slammed the heavy door, blocking out the cheering and egging on he was getting and Crutchie's screams for him to not hurt Race. It broke his heart. When he turned back to the kid, he saw the boy leaning up against the opposite wall, breathing hard, his eyes closed tightly.

"I'm so sorry, Race..." Morris tried when he saw the mark that would soon be a bruise that he'd left on Race's face. He saw the kid shaking his head but he still tried to apologize. "I didn't want ta-"

"Ya had to, Delancey." Race cut him off, calmly and cooly, just like Morris had always seen him in stressful situations. But Morris saw the look on the boy's face when he'd been in Drake's presence. Race wouldn't look at him. His focus was solely on the ground of the metal room. And Morris knew that the boy could maybe hold it together for a few more seconds. But he was wrong when he saw a tear fall from Race's eyes and the boy spoke again, in a shaky, desperate voice. "Where's Jack?"

"He's outside, Race. With Davey." He assured. "Katherine and some others are on their way too. We're gonna get you guys out. I swear." He soothed, not knowing weather or not he should place a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder. "Race..." He breathed, remembering why he'd brought the boy in here, instead of leaving him out there. "If I had known you were the one that Drake-" Morris didn't get to finish that sentence before Race spoke again.

"If only one of us makes it out," Race said, quietly, not wanting to think about Drake for even a second in his minutes away from the evil man. "You make sure it's Crutchie." He demanded. Morris was take back by the request.

"We're gonna get you both outta here, Race." He promised. But Race shook his head.

"If only one of us makes it out, you make sure it's Crutchie." He repeated, his voice shaking as he spoke.

Morris sighed for a moment, not knowing what to say until Race looked up at him. The boy's face was soaked with terrified tears. His bright blue eyes were terrified and pleading with Morris to just say he would accept Race's one request.

"If it comes ta that..." Morris started, sadly. He and Race hadn't gotten all that close, but Race and Oscar were very good friends. Morris had watched them play poker. He'd watched Race introduce both of them to the boys with a smile on his face, telling him they were friends now. No longer enemies. And Morris felt as though he needed to protect this boy from whatever tortures were waiting for him in this damn building. "I'll make sure it's Crutchie. But it won't come ta that. I swear we'll get ya both outta here."

Race dropped to his knees on the ground. He struggled against the rope that still bound his hands together, tightly. And Morris felt his heart drop. The thing he'd known about Drake was that the man hated to wait. But still, the bully had hoped that the man hadn't done anything yet. Now he found, he'd been hoping falsely. "Did he touch ya, Race?" Morris asked, gently, sitting on his knees in front of the boy. He was shocked when Race actually nodded and he heard quiet sobs exit his mouth.

Race flinched when Morris wrapped an arm around his shaking frame, but he let the boy guide his forehead to his strong shoulder. Race allowed himself to sob as the Delancey rubbed his back. He'd promised himself he'd never cry in front of a Delancey. Ever. But something about Morris in that moment reminded him so much of Jack. And all he could do was sob onto the boy's shoulder as he recalled the things that Drake had done to him only a few hours ago. He tried to struggle out of the ropes again but ended up sobbing more when he couldn't.

"I'm sorry, kid." Morris muttered. He ran a hand through Race's soft hair, doing everything he'd done for Oscar whenever he was scare or upset. "But Jack's outside. He... we're gonna get you guys outta here. We came in here to see where he was keeping you guys so that we could get you out." Race nodded against his shoulder and sat up, sniffling back his tears.

"You have ta punch me."

Morris gave the boy a curious look before standing up. "No, Race!" He yelled. "I told Jack I wouldn't-"

"Ya already punched me in the face, Delancey." Race remembered, his jaw still throbbing. "And if I go back in there with no bruises, people are gonna get suspicious." He explained in a lower voice, looking down at the ground. He wiped his cheek on his own shoulder, trying to rid the water works from his face. "Just go easy on me." It almost came out as a joke, but Morris heard the pleading in his voice.

"I'm gonna get you outta here, Race." He swore. "Then I'm gonna kill Drake."

Oscar watched his brother drag their friend into the sound proof vault in the room. Snyder used it for torture sometimes. And he knew that Morris was trying to get Race away from Drake for a minute so that he could tell Race they were there to help. But he saw the worry on Crutchie's face. They both knew that Morris had to rough up the Italian a little in order to sell the bit. And, if the look on the fourteen year olds face, and the evil smirk on Drake's were anything to go by, Race had already been through enough in the last eight hours that they had been taken.

"Please don't hurt him anymore..." Crutchie's voice was so small. He was absolutely terrified. "Please... you already hurt him enough..." The poor kid was sitting on the ground, next to Oscar.

Drake smirked. He stood and walked towards the boy and Oscar found himself having to force himself still, instead of blocking the innocent kid from view. "Sorry kid." Drake kneeled down in front of him, taking the boy's chin in his hand, just like he had with Race. He forced the boy to look him in the eye. "But me and Snyder have a deal." He smiled, evilly. "Once he gets what he wants, your little friend is mine for good."

Oscar's eyes widened and he heard Crutchie stutter. "N-no... you have ta let us go..." He whispered, bewildered, turning his attention to Snyder. "You told Jack you'd let us go!" The Spider just laughed and kneeled down.

"Oh you naive little boy." He smiled, clipping the kid's chin, and Crutchie thanked God no one seemed to notice that he scooted behind Oscar's leg as he came closer. "I know Jack won't get that money." He smiled. "So, he's not getting you back."

Oscar shook his head, glad no ones attention was on him. Then he heard the door to the vault open and Race was, literally, thrown out into the room. Morris stomped out a moment later, a fake smile on his face as he watched Race struggle when Drake grabbed him pulling him back in between his legs and replacing the gag before the poor boy could even get a word out, not tying the thing, but simply holding it, making the boy's head turn whatever way he wanted. And Race was in no shape to fight him.

"Delanceys, go check on our friend Jack." Snyder demanded and the two boys nodded, walking over to the exit of the room.

"Race is hurt." Morris said. "Drake forced himself on him. I know it." He said with a guilty look on his face. "I didn't want to hurt him."

"I know Morris. But we didn't have a choice." Oscar soothed. Then he remembered what Snyder had said. "They ain't gonna let them go." He sighed, remembering Crutchie's terrified face at the thought of loosing his friend. "Snyder's gonna give Race ta Drake, probably sell him to the bastard and who the hell knows what he's gonna do with Crutchie." Oscar shook his head as the car came into view.

"You know what he'll do, Os..." Morris trailed off, a shiver traveling up his spine. "We gotta get them outta there."

"I have a plan." Oscar said. Though he didn't look too happy about that. When Morris didn't reply, he spoke again. "The only way ta get them out... is ta send Jack in."

Morris stopped in his tracks as he saw Katherine embracing Jack. The oldest boy had tears in his eyes as he held onto her for dear life. And he nodded. "I promised Race we'd get them outta there." He stated, placing his hands on his hips. "And damn it, that's what I'm gonna do."

 **These poor, poor boys. Okay, so as always, I love any requests you guys might have. I'm always in the mood to write them! And I'm happy to answer any questions you guys might have as well! Thank you! If I missed a question or a request, feel free to ask me again. I'll see it eventually! Thank you!**

 **I don't know how often I'll be updating my other stories at this point. I'm still trying to finish this one, but definitely go check them out. They are almost all newsies, except for my one Disneychannel misfit. But yeah, anyways...**

 **As always! Thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change, or what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Love ya babes!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Good morning everyone! Thank you for stopping by to read this dark story. Guilty pleasures I guess. Thank you to those of you who have been reviewing! Please keep it up! It really means a lot!**

 **Enjoy!**

"You hurt them?" Oscar winced at the hurt and anger in Jack's voice. He took a step back, behind his older brother.

"We didn't have a choice, Kelly." Morris quickly defended, shielding his brother from the angry seventeen year old. "Race told me I had to. And Oscar did as little as possible to Crutchie. I swear. Race is a little bruised up but it ain't me you should be angry with it's one of the guards."

At this, Jack's anger melted away and was replaced with a frantic type of fear. "Tell me Drake didn't touch him." He demanded, stepping closer to the former bully. "Tell me he didn't." He ordered again, his voice desperate when he saw Morris floundering for any sort of answer that would ease Jack's mind. But he came up with none. And Jack had his heartbreaking answer. "Crutchie?" He asked as he felt Katherine's arms around him when his panic rose.

Oscar opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it again, thinking about how he could possibly tell Jack what he knew. Finally, he sighed and began to talk. "They've been... they've been beating him." He heard Jack take in a shaky breath before he continued. "He's banged up pretty bad."

"Oh my God..." Katherine breathed, but she wasn't prepared for her boyfriend to break free of her hold and charge towards the prison building. "Jack wait!"

Jack was furious. He walked as quickly as he could towards the place that gave him nightmares ever since he was about seven years old. All he knew was that two people he known since he was first out on the streets were inside that prison. Two kids that he'd grown up with and protected with everything he had for years were being hurt and tortured because of him. His brothers were inside. But before he made it to the building, two strong arms wrapped around his torso and held him still.

"If you run in there without a plan, you'll only make it worse, Kelly!" A familiar voice shouted into his ear and Jack jumped away from the other boy, turning around to see a friend he needed right then.

"He's gonna kill them, Spot!" Jack shouted, helplessly as he turned to be met with more people than he'd marched away from only second ago. Almost every single one of his boys were standing around Davey's car, watching him with wide eyes at what he'd just said. Even Romeo was standing in front of JoJo, tears in his eyes. Jack stood there, stunned before he felt Spot's hands on his chest, pushing him backwards, an angry look on his face.

"You listen ta me, Kelly!" Spot demanded. "You sneak in there right now, all you get is thrown back out and one of them gets a bullet in their head!" Spot slapped Jack on the back of his head and grabbed his arm, dragging him back towards the group of people. "Delancey!" He spat, looking at Morris. "What's the plan?" He demanded.

Morris looked at his little brother, sadly. The younger boy just gave a slight nod. "It's the only way." He whispered. Morris nodded and sighed, looking back to Jack.

"Jack has ta give himself up." He finally said, glancing around at the silenced crowd. "If he doesn't... Snyder's gonna make sure no one sees 'em again."

"Jack, you can't just go in there with nothin'!" Albert cried out, from the crowd where he stood with all the boys. "We can't lose you too!" The kid's voice cracked with emotion that was rarely shown and it just about broke Jack.

"Jack we don't know what ta do without you!" Finch cried, placing his hand on his brothers' shoulders as he screamed at their older brother.

"Jack..." Romeo's voice broke everyone's heart as he ran towards the oldest boy in the group. Jack bent down and lifted the kid up in his arms as he cried. "Do ya really think he'll kill 'em?" He asked in a very small voice as the visions of Race and Crutchie being taken fresh in his mind.

Jack looked around at his boys. These kids were his sole reason for living. And they weren't complete without each other. "I ain't gonna let that happen, kid." Jack vowed, holding the boy close when he threw his thin arms around his neck and rested his head on his shoulder.

Spot looked over at the Delanceys with such a serious look on his face. "You better get them outta there." He demanded, advancing on them. Morris, once again, shoved Oscar behind him. "If ya don't get them outta there, ya got me ta answer to!" He yelled.

Katherine almost went to get between them, but Davey held her back. "They're gonna get them out, right?" She whispered, so only Davey could hear her. "Snyder's not gonna... not gonna..." She couldn't finish her sentence as she thought of what might happen if they didn't act fast.

"No, Katherine." Davey promised, holding the girl by the shoulders. "We're getting them out of there." He then turned to the Delanceys. "What's the plan?"

Crutchie held back his tears as his leg throbbed. He was sitting up against the wall of the room, to Race's left, watching as Drake played with his new pet. Every time Crutchie had protested so far he was rewarded with a kick in the gut. Finally, Race looked over at him and shook his head. It had been difficult for him with the thin, silky cloth still in his mouth, but he'd done it. And Crutchie, reluctantly, gave up.

Race struggled, trying to free his wrists from the tight ropes that Morris had wrapped around them. He felt sick as guards surrounded him and his friend. He flinched when Drake leaned towards him more, pulling him back by the gag that still wasn't fully secured behind his head. Race wasn't enjoying being toyed around with like some sort of damn puppet. Unfortunately, he didn't have a choice in the matter.

Drake smiled as he tugged Race back towards him again, the gag held in one hand, forcing the boy to lean his head on his shoulder. The kid tried to push himself forward, but Drake easily pulled him back. He forced Race to look up, roughly, with the cloth in his mouth, and exposed the boy's long neck. Race made a noise of protest but he only gained a slap on the cheek from one of the other guards. "Shhh... be quiet, Race." Drake ordered in a whisper, as he pressed his lips to Race's neck.

When Race felt the man on him, he gasped and tried to pull away, hating the way the man's lips felt on his skin. He shook under the older man's presence and let the tears fall when Drake didn't move away from him. He press kiss after lingering kiss to his neck and Race couldn't get away. He looked over at Crutchie who just stared back at him with teary eyes before Race's head was yanked back into its previous position, causing the sixteen year old to let out a scared whimper.

"You got yourself a good one here, Drake." One of the other guards commented. Then he squatted down in front of the terrified teen and ran a hand through the boy's hair. Race let out a shaky breath. "He put up a fight?"

"Every time." Drake sighed, finally pulling away from the trembling kid. "But I broke him once." He smirked, stroking the boy's cheek with his free hand. "I can do it again."

Crutchie thought he might actually be sick. He made a move to push himself to his older friend but the guards on either side of him pushed him back down, one of them harshly kicking his bum leg, making the boy cry out in pain.

Race heard the cry and struggled desperately to get away from Drake and get to his brother. He called out through the gag for his friend but Drake held him still.

Snyder walked into the room, smiling widely. "Everyone settle down." He smirked at the two terrified kids who stared at him with anticipation. "Things have changed." He said. He walked over to the computers that were on a desk in the far corner of the room, typing away on the keys for a moment before a video pulled up. Race let out a muffled scream at what he saw and Crutchie sat there in silence, confused before Snyder spoke again. "Kelly's giving himself up to save his friends."

 **Yeah. I'm sorry.**

 **Well, I wrote a one-shot. I got a request for a fic where Jack saves Race from something stupid he did... but... somehow it became this very angst-y, dark thing. So, feel free to go check it out, it'll be up soon. It's called The New Kid. bexlynne, if you would like me to write a more lighthearted one, feel free to just let me know, I'll get right on that.**

 **As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change or what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Love ya kids!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello again, everyone! Thank you for stopping by on this beautiful day!**

 **bexlynne: I figured all of those were from you and I'm so happy to have gotten all of them. Trust me, I know what it feels like to be confused by this app. I didn't understand it at first either, but now I think I've finally got the hang of it. Thank you so much for reviewing! Love ya hon!**

 **Fanz4life: I was thinking of you while I wrote that little Jatherine scene! I'm so glad you liked it!**

 **Teeloganroryflan: Thank you so much for reviewing! It really really means a lot to me!**

 **Selizabethharrisburg: Sweetheart, it is never too late for a review! I read every review I get no matter what. Thank you for being so into this story that you are continually checking to see if I updated. I do that all the time! And yeah, I know how you feel. These stories are my guilty pleasure. They're awful, but I try to make them as intriguing as possible. Honestly I didn't think people would enjoy them like I do but I'm so happy you do! Thank you for that compliment. I agree! Rape is very disturbing and I hate reading things that like say what is happening while it's happening because I have a very vivid imagination. When I read things, I can see them very clearly in my head and I'll remember them that way, like I saw them in a movie. So like writing for people like me. They don't want to necessarily see it, but the story is suggestive enough to realize what the characters are actually going through. So thank you for saying that! I'm glad it came across that way! And I can't tell you how much I appreciate that little tip! It really helps me! I will try my best to fix that little issue, and if I still do it wrong, feel free to just correct me again and I'll keep trying to fix it. As many of my readers know, I'm a seventeen year old going to public school. I taught myself how to write these stories. So I really do love the critiques. It means you guys want these stories to get better and improve. Thank you so much for reviewing! I hope you have fun traveling!**

 **Alright, enjoy!**

Crutchie watched, in amazement, the computer screen. Tears shone in his eyes when he saw his big brother, standing just outside the gates, waiting to be arrested and brought into the prison that haunted them all. "Jack..." He choked out as he saw his best friend unable to stand still, waiting for someone to get him and let him see his brothers that had been taken from him.

Snyder smirked and turned on the gimp boy. He nodded to the guard that held the boy's crutch. Before Crutchie understood what was happening, his crutch was harshly thrown into his lap, making him cry out in pain, and making Race cry out in protest as they, once again, hurt his little brother.

"Let him in." Snyder ordered. Crutchie looked up at him, dumbfounded.

"Wh-what?" He stuttered.

"Go let him in and bring him back here. Simple as that." Snyder scoffed. And Crutchie looked over at Race who just shrugged at him. Then he looked back at the screen and watched as the gates opened for Jack and the older boy looked back at something out of the cameras view, before walking towards the doors.

The poor, beaten gimp pushed himself up, slowly and painfully, onto a shaky leg. He leaned on his crutch way more than he would've on any regular day. Then he took one step and collapsed, falling to his knees on the ground, his crutch falling flat right next to him. And he heard Race make a struggle to get to him before the older boy was given a harsh slap on the cheek and told to stop moving and be quiet by, what seemed like, his new "owner". Crutchie swore he was about to throw up. "Stop it," he demanded, looking over to his older friend. "Please... stop it... he ain't some animal. That's my brother!" He cried looking up at Race with terrified eyes.

Race shook his head at the boy. He pleaded with him to just not argue. To just do as he was told. But Crutchie couldn't. The boy had too much of him and Jack in him. Race and Jack were his brothers that have known him forever and they didn't do well with taking orders. Though, right now, Race was frankly too scared to disobey, terrified one wrong move would get a bullet put in his young, best friend's skull.

"I think it would be wise of you to do as you're told, Christopher." Snyder scolded, calmly, nodding to Drake. "And not complain about things out of your control."

Before Crutchie could respond, he looked over to his friend, his heart stopping as he watched what happened next. Drake pulled the cloth out of Race's mouth, tossing it to the empty couch beside him before wrapping his arm around the boy's neck. A split second later, Drake's pistol was in his right hand, and pressed into Race's temple. The sixteen year old gasped in surprise when Drake rested his chin on top of his head and flinched when the gun was roughly pressed further into his head.

"Go get your friend." Snyder demanded. "Or little Race won't make it outside ever again." Then he sneered at the kid. "And don't even think about trying to get away."

Crutchie's eyes filled with tears as he watched his brother struggle, defiantly, against the man that'd had a hold over him since he was fourteen. He looked up to the evil man that brought them here and sobbed, "I can't..." he admitted, sadly. "Please... please... I can't do it..." he cried.

Race watched his brother, sadly. He wanted nothing more than to scoop up the boy in his arms and carry him around. Clearly it would take all his energy to be able to stand. But if Crutchie didn't get Jack in here, they weren't making it out of there. "Crutchie." He whispered, his voice shaking as the smaller boy looked down at the ground, tears falling from his eyes. "Crutchie look at me." He begged quietly, surprised when Drake didn't tell him to be quiet. Finally, the young blond boy looked up at him with helpless, innocent, green eyes. "That's it, kid." He smiled, despite being in the hands of death. "You listen ta me, Crutch," he breathed, his voice low as Drake's arm was tight around his neck. "You are one of the strongest guys I know. You can do this. I know you can do this," he encouraged.

Crutchie nodded, hesitantly, before he slowly picked up his crutch and stood back to his feet. He leaned heavily on the thing and gave Race one last, heartbreaking, glance before he began limping to the door. With every step, pain shot through him. But the image of Race trapped with a gun to his head replayed over in his head and he recalled his friend's words. _You can do this_. And he kept going. He climbed the stair and he passed through doors. He'd only been kept there for less than a week, but he knew where everything was. Finally, he made it to the front door and he'd never been happier to collapse into his big brother's arms.

"Jack!" He choked out a sob as Jack's arms encircle him and both of them were brought to their knees. Crutchie buried his head in the crook of Jack's neck and sobbed, Race's screams playing over in his head as he squeezed his eyes shut. Snyder standing over him with his own crutch, taking hurtful swings at him, flashing before his eyes. The horrors of what went on in this building would never leave the poor boy's mind.

"Crutchie!" Jack cried, rocking his brother back and forth. "Oh my God..." He breathed as he took in the boy's presence. "You scared me ta death, kid..." All he got in response was the sniffles of a terrified boy. "They hurt ya, Crutch?" For a while, Crutchie just sat there, taking in the safety of his brother's arms before slowly nodding his head. Jack held him tighter. "I'm gonna get you outta here, alight?" He promised.

But Crutchie shook his head. "They ain't lettin' us go, Jack." Crutchie whispered in a shaky voice. "And i-if I t-try ta leave now... th-they'll shoot Race..." Then the sobs came faster and harder.

"Alright... alright, kid. It's gonna be okay. We're gonna get outta this." He soothed.

Race watched his brothers through the camera set up all over the prison. Crutchie was tucked under Jack's arm and the older boy practically carried the poor gimp through the halls till they were back at the door. Race struggled to get to them, but the arm around his throat tightened, forcing him to look straight ahead to allow air to flow through him. The gun was still forced to his head and he saw the flash of terror in Jack's eyes when he looked around the room.

He held Crutchie close to him, glaring at every guard that took even a step closer to him, intimidating them enough for them to leave them be for a moment. Then he looked at Race, who was struggling in the small amount of space he could, without getting himself strangled. "Let him go," he demanded. He glanced at Snyder who just nodded his head to the man behind his friend.

Drake scoffed at Snyder's compliance with their enemy. He tried to argue with the man but the man in charge shook his head and Drake roughly pushed his pet forward, allowing Race to push himself off of his knees and onto his feet and run directly into Jack's open arms.

Jack sighed in relief as he held both of his hurting boys in his arms. He carefully held Crutchie up as the boy leaned into him and he let Race bury his head in his shoulder. "Let them go, Snyder," Jack ordered, glaring at the man. "I'm here. I'm gonna serve my time here for the time I escaped. So let them go."

Snyder laughed and Jack felt Race flinch in his arms as well as Crutchie taking a small step back with his crutch. "That wasn't the deal, Mr. Kelly." Snyder smirked. "The deal was, you bring me all the money you took from me, you get your friends back." Jack opened his mouth to protest but Snyder cut him off. "Drake?" He motioned for the man to go to the boys and the handsome man smiled, evilly as he walked to Race.

"No!" Jack shouted, yanking Race out of the man's reach as he advanced on them. Race didn't look up, instead, he pressed himself further into his older friend's embrace, praying that the man wouldn't take him again. "No! Leave him alone! Take me instead! Do whatever ya want ya me! I don't care!" He cried. He tightened his hold on his brothers. "Just don't touch him again." He asked, finally looking down at the boy in his arms. For the first time, he noticed why Race was shivering, aside from the man that had haunted him for years being so close by. The boy's shirt was gone. For the first time, he saw the ropes that wrapped around the kid's hands, holding his arms behind his back in a tight bind. He saw the marks on him. Bruises that were forming all over him. Around his exposed hips as well. And Jack was glad that he could only see the top half of his friend at that point.

"Don't make this harder than it has to be, Kelly." Drake scolded. "You might end up hurting him, more than helping him." He stated, before suddenly grabbing the Italian's arm, tightly.

"No!" Race's silence broke. He struggled desperately against the man. "Please no-o!" He begged, tears streaming down his face as he was pulled from Jack's embrace. "Not again! I can't do it again!" He viciously struggled against the tight ropes but it was no use.

Jack couldn't move as his friend was ripped from his arms. "Stop it! He's just a kid!" He pleaded. "You can't do this!" He leaned Crutchie against the wall and charged up to the man that had dragged Race back to the couch, shoving him down on it. But two pairs of hands grabbed his arms, holding him tightly in place. Jack struggled as Race looked up at him with pleading eyes. Drake had a roll of duck tape in his hands. "Stop!" But his pleas fell on deaf ears.

Race tried to sit up, but Drake pushed him back so he was leaning against the back of the couch. Then, the man straddled his lap, forcing him to sit in one place. Race pushed himself further into the cushions of the old couch. He watched the man pick up the cloth that he'd disregarded earlier on the couch, and Race knew what was coming and he pressed his lips together in a thin line.

"Open your mouth, Race," Drake ordered. Race shook his head, defiantly, humiliated, as he knew his brothers were watching him. "Don't make this difficult, baby," Drake whined. When Race still didn't comply, Drake sighed and pinched the boy's nose, cutting off his airways. And the poor kid was forced to open up his mouth for Drake to shove in the cloth and pull a strip of silver tape over his mouth. Then another. Then another. And then the man set the duck tape aside and smiled down at his prey.

"Let him go!" Jack demanded as he watched Rave struggle against the man as he ran his hands up and down his bare chest. "You can take me instead!"

"Take the gimp down to the cell," Snyder ordered in a sigh. One of the guards nodded and advanced on Crutchie who shook his head and let out a cry in protest as the man grabbed him by the arm.

"No!" Jack cried, struggling against the men that held him still. "This ain't some sort of game, Snyder!" He shouted. "I'll give you what you want! Just let them go! They ain't got nothin' ta do with this!" He tried.

"I disagree," Snyder said. "These are the boys that you got caught stealing for in the first place, correct?" Jack almost responded, but then the fact hit him that there's no way this man should've known that. "They're the reason you were sent here. So you see Mr. Kelly, I think I'd be doing you a favor removing them from your life. No more stealing. No more Refuge."

Jack's heart started racing. "Let them go." His voice was dangerously low. But Snyder just laughed.

"Boys?" And the next thing Jack knew, something hard collided with his head and his entire world went black.

 **Alright, so I feel like I'm falling behind with this story. I mean I am ahead of you guys, but not by a lot. So if I start not posting this story everyday, I apologize, but I will try to keep doing that.**

 **I'm almost finished with chapter 7 of Working With What We Got! I'm excited. Make sure to check that out. It should be up later tonight or possibly tomorrow. I'm starting to write chapter 3 of Still Callin You Baby. That one should be very sweet and perfect to make sure to look for that in the next few days. Also be sure to check out another one-shot I just wrote. A wonderful reviewer and writer, bexlynne, requested it! Her stories are fantastic, by the way! But yes, make sure to go review that one. It's called The New Kid. Tell me what you think, if I should continue it, or anything else. Also make sure to go check out one of my favorite stories, A Regular Little Romeo. It's a perfect story and in in love with it.**

 **As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change or why you'd improve by leaving me a review. Love ya kids!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello beautiful people!**

 **Selizabethharrisburg: Thank you so much for telling me to take my time. I do know how annoying that gets though. I mean a lot of the time I wish people wouldn't post till the story was complete. But I couldn't wait that long. And dude, you're 14? In my head, you sounded way too mature to be fourteen! But that's awesome! And yeah, I understand. A few weeks ago I was sixteen and the same age as Race and now I'm seventeen same age as Jack. I write these things like this for teens. I want them to realize how awful it is to go through things like that. It sounds terrible but people need to realize how bad it is. And you are so sweet! No one has ever called me a role model before! I'm truly honored, sweetheart! And I definitely would love to see your fics. Trust me, I know how scary it is to post the first one you've written, I still haven't done that. But I mean if you guys want to see that one, (Newsies movie one. It's terrible.) let me know. Thank you for all your help and your support for this story, it means so much! And I'm glad you liked the New Kid! :)**

 **Teeloganroryflan: Thank you so much for reviewing! Keep it up!**

 **Fanz4life: I was giving you a hard time ;). Thank you for reviewing my stories! It truly means the world to me that you read them. I will listen to that song when I have time and I'll take that request into consideration. Thank you so much! And I freaking love tigger! TTFN!**

 **Guest: I knew someone was going to ask me about that. I'm actually glad someone did, so thank you very much! :). Here's the thing, I've actually thought about that. Crutchie staying behind and Race not being okay with that, however, in order for the story to play out the way I want it to, that's not necessarily an option. Don't worry though, if it counts, Jack will be that way. Crutchie too. And all the rest of them. Poor Morris. Thank you for the suggestion though! I appreciate your comment on the dialogue, you have no idea how hard I work on that! So thank you so much!**

 **bexlynne: thank you so much for all the compliments! They really mean a lot! I will definitely start working on some more of The New Kid. It was honestly so much fun to write. I loved it! Thank you for pushing me to bring that story to life! And dude, you're sixteen?? I thought you guys were all older than me! You all sound so mature and give me such great advice! I was sure you guys were like in your twenties. (Don't worry, that's a compliment.) Of course we can PM! Feel free to message me at any time. I'll respond at some point, I promise!**

 **FuriedNight: Dude, thank you so much! I don't know if you know this series so here are all the stories in order; Start of a Rebellion, An Unexpected Cry For Help, Just Breathe, and then this one. Working With What We Got is a stand alone piece. Just didn't want you to get confused. Anyways, I love that I write exactly what you want to read! That's fantastic! I also do a lot of requests if you have any! Also... Welcome to Fansie Land. You'll love it here!**

 **Enjoy this next chapter!**

Jack's whole body felt heavy. His head throbbed as he moved it, trying to remember. He gasped as he came back to reality, his memories hitting him like a brick. His eyes shot open and he looked around to find himself in a small room. A small cell. Three solid walls and one made of bars. He desperately looked around and he shot to his feet, ignoring his own agonizing pain, when he saw his little brother in the corner, leaning against the bars of the cell, his hands turning white as he gripped the metal.

Jack slowly sat down beside his best friend. The young blond's eyes were squeezed shut, tightly. His breaths were coming in short and shaky and it took Jack a moment to understand why. In the silence he heard something. A quiet, muffled scream. And he realized, in the next cell down, his other friend must've been held. Jack gently touched, Crutchie's arm, his heart tightening when the boy jumped.

Crutchie opened his eyes, hoping for it to be over. But when he looked back, it wasn't Race who was telling him he was ok. Jack sat there, concerned and confused and all Crutchie could do was collapse into him and sob, trying desperately to block out the screams.

Jack wrapped Crutchie up in his arms. He wrapped one arm around the boy's shoulders and the other all the way around the boy's knees to his chest as the boy curled in on himself and leaned into his big brother. "It's been hours, Jack..." Crutchie sobbed, almost silently. "I can hear him cryin'... screamin'..." The boy breathed.

"Shush, kid..." Jack soothed. And as he was about to start yelling, about to start screaming for his other friend's freedom, Crutchie grabbed his arm.

"Don't," He warned, a detached tone in his voice. "It'll only make it worse." So Jack didn't. He held Crutchie, rocked him back and forth, pressed light, brotherly kisses to his head as he cried. As they both cried.

After about another forty minutes, all that was heard from the neighboring cell was harsh breathing. A few minutes after that, Race was being dragged towards them by his upper left arm, literally. His head hung low and his knees were barely hovering above the ground and Drake pulled him next to the cell, dropping him just outside of it as he reached in his pocket to pull out some keys with one hand. In his other he held clothes. The poor kid was naked.

Jack moved as close the bars as he could, gripping onto them with one hand, watching his friend. Race was breathing in harshly and too quickly and shallowly to be considered normal. He was bleeding. The boy's hands were still bound behind his back and his lips were still covered with grey tape. Jack didn't even notice his tears until he started speaking. All he could manage was a few, breathed, words, "Oh God, Race..."

Within a minute, the boy was tossed into the cell like a piece of garbage. Drake threw the clothes in after him, which Jack only now realized we're only the boy's clothes for his lower half. Then, with only a smirk, Drake locked the door and left his pet with the others and walked away.

"Race..." Crutchie breathed. The boy wasn't even sure his friend was awake. He wasn't moving. Wasn't struggling. He wasn't trying to speak. He just lay on his side, his legs curled up to his chest in an attempt to hide. But then, he heard a slight whimper. And that was all it took for Jack to slowly crawl over to him. Crutchie just leaned back against the wall, letting silent tears flow down his face as he watched the scene in front of him.

Jack wasn't exactly sure what to do. It was hit or miss with Race after this had happened the first time. Sometimes, after Race had a nightmare about it, he'd run straight into Jack's arms and he'd never want the older boy to let go. Other times, he didn't let anyone touch him for days. But Jack knew that he needed to get the boy clothed and that he needed to untie him. And all he wanted to do was hold him and comfort him and Crutchie. So Jack sat on his knees above the boy's head and brought down a shaky hand onto the kid's soft, blond hair.

Race flinched when he felt a hand on his head, expecting for a fist full of his hair to be harshly pulled on to lift up his head. But, instead, he felt a gentle hand run through his damp, messy, curls. He let his eyes open, and he looked up to see Jack sitting above him. After that, Race couldn't stop his tears.

Jack's heart broke into a million pieces when Race started quietly, sobbing. He did his best to ignore the flinch when he touched the edge of the gag that was stuck to his oldest friend's lips. "It's okay, kid..." Jack tried to soothe, but his voice shook with every word.

Crutchie watched in amazement as Jack peeled the gag off of Race's mouth. His older brother was just as scared as they were. And Jack never let anyone see if he was scared. Ever.

Jack finally succeeded in removing the tape off of Race's lips and he gently pulled the cloth out of the boy's mouth and threw it aside. Then he heard a choked sob escape the boy's free lips. "Shshshushshsh..." Jack soothed, slowly and carefully caressing Race's cheek, forcing himself to ignore the flinch and comfort the boy after he melted into the touch. "It's gonna be ok, Racer." But they all knew, it wasn't. Race just needed something to hold onto right then. Something to make him believe he'd be ok.

Race shivered, violently, as he realized his entire body was exposed to the cold, unforgiving floor. The Italian boy didn't have to look behind him to know that Crutchie was there, watching them. "J-Jack..." Race choked out in a whisper. And Jack understood.

"I don't wanna hurt ya, Race..." Jack whispered, trying to fight back the tears in his eyes.

"Please, Jack..." he begged, curling in on himself more. "It's cold." So Jack complied. He slid Race's boxers up on his body, doing his best to soothe his friend when his hands brushed up along the bruises all over his friend's hips. Then he did the same with the kid's pants. He carefully buttoned them and then helped the boy sit up, his heart clenching when the boy cried at the simplest of movements.

"I'm gonna untie you're hands, Racer. It's gonna be alright," he promised.

Race took in shaky breaths as his older brother started untying him. His eyes slowly drifted to those of his younger brother. "I'm s-so-o s-sorry, Crutch..." he whispered, looking up at the ceiling and blinking back tears.

"This ain't your fault, Race," Crutchie said, a hurt expression on his face as Race actually thought there was anything he could've done to stop the situation from ever happening. "There's nothing any of us could've done ta stop this."

Race didn't respond. He only let out a cry of relief when the ropes fell away from his hands and he was able to pull his arms around to the front of him. He hunched over, onto himself as he was finally freed from the ropes.

Jack sighed and, sadly, asked, "Can I carry ya, Race?" For a while, he got no response, but eventually, Race nodded and allowed Jack to scoop him up and carefully carry him over to Crutchie.

Crutchie let Jack lower their silently sobbing friend onto his lap. He was shocked when Race actually latched onto him, and let Crutchie wrap his arms around him and hold him as he cried. "I've got you, Race," the young boy promised. "I got you." He ran a hand through Race's hair and he let the older kid bury his head in his chest.

Jack looked around and found Race's shirt and sweatshirt that had been disregarded in the corner. He slowly walked over to them, picking them up in his hands. The sweatshirt was still in one piece, but the shirt had a tear in it, from the collar down to the bottom seem. So Jack sadly dropped the shirt and took the sweatshirt over to his shivering friend. He carefully wrapped it around the boy's thin frame.

Race gasped when something wrapped around him. His head shot up from his friend's chest and he saw Jack looking over him. The gambler caught his breath and carefully slid his arms through the sleeves of the thing.

Jack sat down next to Crutchie. He wrapped his arms around both the boys and held them close to him. "We're gonna get outta here fellas... I swear," he whispered, his voice holding its natural even, calming tone.

"How can you be so sure, Jack?" Crutchie's voice cracked as Race pulled his sweatshirt further around his torso and still shook. None of them were sure if it was from the cold, or from what he'd just been put through.

Jack looked around for a moment. He was nervous about something. When he decided that the coast was clear and no one would be bothering them for a while, and he knew there were not any cameras in the room, he scooted back from the boys, far enough to lift up his shirt.

"Jack you're-" Jack covered up Crutchie's mouth with his hand, immediately when the boy started yelling. Any unwanted attention wouldn't be good for any of them right then.

"Yeah, Crutch..." Jack nodded. "I'm wearin' a wire. Ace's got Darcy and Bill out there, helpin' her and the boys helpin' get us outta here. We're gonna shut Snyder down for good," he promised. Wrapping his arm back around Crutchie and letting Race rest his legs over his lap while still resting his head on Crutchie's shoulder.

"You some sort of spy, Kelly? I knew there was somethin' suspicious about you," Race joked for the first time since they'd been taken. He saw Crutchie smile down at him and chuckle a little bit. Jack smiled and laughed as well and lightly reached over, tickling Race's bare stomach, making the boy squirm and smile as he swatted Jack's hands away from him. But then, the smile faded from Race's face. Crutchie's soon followed and Jack's heart broke. "Are the boys... are they listening?"

Jack sighed. "No..." he answered finally. "Some of them tried to fight their way into the room, but Darcy said they couldn't. They weren't reporters and had no business bein' in there. Bill forced 'em out. It's just the three reporters," he promised. Race nodded. "It's gonna be okay."

Although, Jack wasn't sure who he was trying to convince. He knew that he was always the one who kept it together for his brothers' sake. He never let them see him scared. But the bruises that were already forming all over Crutchie's body, along with the gashes that Jack could see on his head, made him unsure of weather or not the boy would actually be alright. And the things Race had been through in the past few hours alone were enough to break a person. These were the two strongest boys he knew. But even they didn't know what was coming. And nothing could've prepared them for it.

 **I apologize in advance for the next chapter.**

 **Anyways, please be sure to go check out all my other fics if you haven't. The New Kid is one of my new favorites and if you would like to see more, please go review it and tell me that. I'll be updating Working With What We Got today also so stay tuned for that.**

 **As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change or what you'd improve by leaving me a review. Love ya kids!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Guys! I figured out how to work this I think! So I turned on my PMs, sorry if any of you were trying to talk to me but I should work now. And I turned on anonymous reviews so I can see your guys' reviews right away! It's exciting! Anyways,**

 **Teeloganroryflan: Thank you so much for reviewing! I love you! And I love your reviews!**

 **bexlynne: That little brotherly moment was my favorite part of that chapter to write. It's so cute. Anyways, I tried to PM you on the app. So i don't know if it worked or not, just let me know what's happening.**

 **Selizabethharrisburg: haha I'm so sorry, I shouldn't be laughing but your response was funny. Thank you so much for the compliments! I really do appreciate you telling me I strike the perfect balance. That was my struggle while thinking about writing this and I'm glad I did it! And yes, it's crazy to me that I am the same age as Jack while he was going through this. I really do feel like I should know his breaking points and thank you so much for telling me that you like the way I wrote his reactions and stuff. It really means a lot! Thank you so much!**

 **Alright, this chapter might feel a little rushed, same with the next one that you guys will be seeing tomorrow for sure. I hope. But it's because I like writing things that kinda help you feel what the characters are feeling. So here it goes...**

"I'm sorry Miss Plumber, but there isn't enough evidence here to storm in there," the chief of police explained to a not so happy, young, reporter.

"But if you'd just listen to us." She gestured to herself and the other two reporters at her side. "We were doing our job! We sent a boy in there with a listening device and recorded the whole thing!" She yelled as she remembered the things she'd heard and the things that had been done and said to those poor boys. Her family. "Boys are being beaten, starved and raped in that horrible place and three boys have been forced there without any cause," she explained.

"And no one is doing a God damned thing about it!" The man to Katherine's left exclaimed.

"Darcy-" the chief tried, but the other man cut him off.

"With all do respect, sir, Snyder has been doing some questionable things lately," the man to the girls right stared. "And now we have proof. If you would just listen to the tape..." He trailed off. No one should be put through what they'd heard about in the past day.

The chief seemed hesitant. But finally, he sighed and sat down in his chair, behind his desk. "Very well. Let's see what you have."

Jack watched over his friends as they slept. He was sure they hadn't been able to rest at all since they'd been brought to that prison. Race was sleeping peacefully on top of Crutchie. The younger boy's head rested in the Italian boy's messy hair and the gambler's head lay still on the gimp's shoulder. Jack smiled at them, happy that they had a few minutes of peace.

But then the nightmares came. Race screamed in his sleep and woke up sobbing. Jack took the boy into his arms and rocked him back and forth until he calmed down, leaning his head against the older boy's chest as he tried to relax. Crutchie started calling out for Race and Jack as he slept and Jack had no other choice than to wake him up.

"Oh please guys, get us outta here," Jack begged quietly, praying Katherine or someone was listening.

After a few hours, the door to their prison creaked open again. Snyder walked in. He settled his hands on the bars and stared down at his captives. Jack still held Race like a child in his arms and Crutchie sat as close as possible to them, laying his head on Jack's shoulder. "Hello boys." The evil man smirked, an amused glint in his eyes.

Jack didn't respond, fearing one wrong word would get Crutchie beat again with his crutch or Race thrown back into a different cell with Drake. He just glared up at the man, waiting for him to continue. "What?" The man asked with a chuckle. "No snarky comeback? Boy, Kelly, I should have brought your friends in a long time ago. If I'd only known how to shut you up," he sighed.

"Leave them outta this." Jack mumbled, tightening his hold on Race and grabbing Crutchie's hand.

Snyder only laughed. He unlocked the door of the prison and stepped in, closing it behind him. Jack immediately shifted. He moved Race off of his lap and set him down behind him. Then he stood tall in front of his brothers. "Leave them alone. They're innocent."

Snyder smirked before he punched Jack in the gut. The seventeen year old hunched over, coughing, and the evil man just bent down to his level. "I need you to accept that you're no longer in control," he whispered, calmly. "You and your friends are locked in here and there's nothing you can do about it. Give it up, Kelly." He looked back at the two boys that were backed up against the wall, absolutely terrified. "You lost."

Jack couldn't stop himself from throwing the man backwards. "Leave us alone!" He screamed as Snyder hit the wall, opposite of them. "You wanted me! I'm here! Now let them out!" Jack demanded.

"I can't do that, Mr. Kelly." Snyder shook his head as he pushed himself from the wall. "I already made some deals." He looked pointedly at Race and the boy's eyes widened. Race felt Crutchie grab onto his wrist. The Italian was too shocked to speak.

Jack sneered at the man. "Ya can't do that. I know you're dirty, but I thought you'd draw the line somewhere," he said as he backed away from the evil man that was advancing on him. "Sellin' a kid?" Jack asked, appalled. "You want money so bad, you're willing to enslave a little boy? What kind of a monster are you?" He asked, absolutely shocked that anyone on the planet would just give away a human being for a bag of green paper.

Snyder just smiled at him. "I think you need to be taught a lesson," he said, grabbing Jack by the chin. "Boys, take Mr. Kelly, here, upstairs," he ordered, yelling beyond the cell. In a few seconds, the cage was reopened and Jack was grabbed by two guards. Then Jack watched as Drake re-entered the cell.

"Leave him alone!" Jack screamed as he was dragged out. "Let 'em go!" He fought and fought to get back to his brothers, but he was no match for the two men the forced him up the stairs.

Drake smirked as he heard the screams of a terrified older brother. He watched Crutchie try his best to block Race from harm. The Italian boy didn't move, too scared that something would happen to his friends. So Drake bent down in front of him, pushing the gimp boy away from his pet with force, causing the boy to cry out in pain, before grabbing the gambler by the chin. "We're gonna have a lot of fun, baby," he promised with a laugh.

"Please..." Race begged, almost silently. "Please let me go..." But Drake wasn't listening. He just lifted up his jacket, making sure both boys knew that he could pull out the gun in his belt at any time.

"Don't fight me, Race," Drake advised. So the boy didn't. He let his wrists be grabbed, only letting out a cry of pain when his cuts were touched. He let himself be dragged back to the wall he'd woken up at. His arms were, once again, lifted above his head, and the cuffs were replaced around his bloody wrists. Crutchie quietly tried to soothe Race, who had been letting silent tears fall down his face. Once his hands were secured over his head, Drake pushed the sweatshirt away from Race's bare chest. "See you in a bit, pretty boy." The man clipped his chin and then stood.

And then all the guards left. And Race allowed himself to start sobbing. He tugged at the chains, uselessly. He looked up to see his little brother starting to scoot closer to him. "Don't, Crutch." He said in a shaky voice. But Crutchie ignored him, hissing and moaning in pain as he crawled over to his sobbing friend. "Crutchie... you're hurtin'."

"So are you," the younger boy pointed out. "And he ain't gonna take ya. I won't let him," the small boy promised. But Crutchie could see the doubt in his friend's blue eyes. He didn't believe him. "I ain't lettin' ya go, Race. You hear? I ain't lettin' him take you away from us."

"Don't fight him, Crutchie," Race begged in a whisper. "If he hurts ya... he won't stop till your done breathin'... please don't, Crutch... I love ya too much ta let that happen," he finally admitted. And Crutchie just wrapped his arms around the older boy's torso and held him tight. He rested his head on Race's chest, crying as he knew the older boy couldn't even embrace him in his position. But Race rested his chin on Crutchie's messy blond hair, and they did all they could do to comfort each other as they prayed for Jack to be okay, and for Drake to not be as cruel as they thought he was.

Jack struggled against the men that took him back to the break room for the guards. He ignored the fact that both of the Delanceys stared at him with shocked faces from the couch they stood next to. "You can't take Race!" Jack yelled as soon as Drake walked through the door. "If you take him from me, I will hunt you down! You hear me?" Jack threatened as men held him back from the smirking man. "I will kill you!"

"Settle down, Mr. Kelly. It's pointless to fight," Snyder stated, walking straight up to the boy. "Go ahead boys." He nodded. "Rough him up a little."

Jack didn't know what hit him before he was on the ground. He fought. He fought hard. But he was sadly outnumbered. He was getting kicked and punched until Snyder finally decided to stop them. Then he grabbed the heaving boy off of the floor by his collar. And Jack never expected him to feel a thin wire underneath his shirt. Snyder's eyes widened in anger and Jack stared back, defiantly.

"What are you playin' at, Kelly?" The man growled. All Jack could manage in his beaten state was,

"Gotcha." And then two words were spoken that would made Jack's breath hitch. There was pounding at the front door and on the security tape, black and whites were seen, guns pulled and Jack was actually able to smile before Snyder looked down at him and ordered something.

"Kill them." And Jack couldn't stop the knife from piercing through his skin.

 **I know it seems like I should be apologizing for this, but when I wrote the next chapter yesterday, I realized... it's really the next chapter I should apologize for. Sorry.**

 **Anyways, please be sure to check out my other fics. I hope that I'll be updating Still Callin You Baby soon. If you want to see some more of the New Kid, go over and review that one and tell me what you'd like to see. I do want to write more if that and I have an idea of what it will be, but it might now come until after this ones done. But if you wanna see it, let me know.**

 **As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change or what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Love ya babes, despite how this cliffhanger makes you guys feel. ;)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Good morning guys!**

 **bexlynne: Aww, yeah I should really write more fluff. I do love writing those things but for some reason, writing stories like this is what they always end up to be. And yes! I will be updating those two soon. I just wanted to get a little bit more ahead on this story. So hopefully it'll be pretty soon with both of those. Thank you! (I think we got the PMs working on the app and on the actual site.) :) haha.**

 **Selizabethharrisburg: Oh honey, if you think that was the worst one... sorry. I think you're definitely right about the nightmares. That chapter kinda felt like it might've been lacking something. That might've been it. In future, I'll try to show those more.**

 **Fanz4life: I know. I should probably put in it my bio that I'm actually evil. Whoops. Well I'm so happy that you like The New Kid! I think I'll write more of it. What do you think? And thank you for suggesting Crutcherella Wormwood. Turns out, I've read those stories before. I think they're hilarious! Thanks you!**

 **sidenotes-from-satan: I know... but thank you so much for reviewing!**

 **Teeloganroryflan: Thank you so so much! I love your reviews!**

 **FuriedNight: Bro, thank you so much! I love your reviews!**

 **Thank you guys so much for continuing to read this awful, awful story. If you like this one, I can almost guarantee you'll like the other ones I've written. Please make sure to go review those ones as well! It really means a lot!**

 **I love requests guys! I'm always open to them! My rules, no main character OCs and I don't typically write slash either. Nothing against reading it. In fact, I like to read it sometimes, but it's not my thing to write.**

 **Anyways, enjoy... maybe.**

Oscar watched the madness happen. When Snyder shouted that two worded demand, the cops outside busted through the doors. Some of the other boys weren't far behind them either. But the knife that pierced through Jack's stomach was enough to make the young sixteen year old scream in terror. He ran up to his friend who had fallen to the ground, ignoring Snyder's threats as the man figured out he'd been double crossed. Morris was right behind him, his hands on his shoulders and Oscar coached Jack in breathing and held his hand over the wound.

Jack cried out as Oscar applied pressure to his bleeding side. He tried to get up, to get to his brothers, but the younger boy held him down. All Jack knew was the noise around him echoed in his head and everything felt distant to him as he fought to stay awake.

"Light this place up and get outta here!" Snyder demanded. And all the sudden, guards were frantic. Some of them jumped out of the window and ran, others grabbed lighters and gasoline from the cupboards and started pouring out the foul smelling liquid all over the damn building.

Some of Jack's boys ran into the room, Spot in the lead, followed by Albert, Elmer, Specs and JoJo. When they saw their leader bleeding in Oscar's arms, they ran up to him, but on the count of Jack not being able to, Morris started screaming out demands. "Oscar! Get Jack outta here! The rest of you! Get the other boys out! They're all in the bunk rooms!"

Oscar tried to help Jack stand, but the older boy shook his head. "C-Crutch... Race-" he gasped, cutting himself off. Morris nodded to Oscar. The poor kid was frantic.

"Where are they?!" Spot screamed over the pure chaos that was happening around them.

"Get him outta here. I'll get them," Morris promised before he sprinted out of the room, leaving Jack's boys to get everyone out of the prison. He heard Jack screaming and fighting to follow him, but he didn't look back. As the former bully made it down the stairs, he could feel the gasoline underneath his feet. They didn't have much time. So he grabbed the keys off of the wall outside the cell and unlocked the door.

"Morris, what's goin' on?!" Crutchie cried as their friend unlocked the cell, stepping in to find the gimp boy latching onto Race for dear life.

"We need ta get out of here." Morris was next to his friends before he even finished the sentence. But then he realized, only Drake had the keys to Race's release. He looked at his gambling friend with such a look of desperation and Race immediately understood. He gave Morris a knowing look and cut the older boy off before he could argue with him.

"No Morris," he shook his head. "You made me a promise. Get him outta here."

Crutchie looked up at his friend with wild, angry eyes. "What are you talkin' about?" He asked, but Race didn't answer him. "Race! I am not leaving you here!" He swore.

Race put on a brave face. "Don't let him stay," he ordered, not looking at the panicked gimp beside him. "Get him outta here."

Morris shook his head, helplessly. "No." The boy was in disbelief. "No. This ain't happenin'." Morris dropped to his knees in front of both boys. Crutchie's arms were wrapped so tightly around Race's torso, and Morris couldn't say he blamed the boy. "I can't just leave you here!"

"You don't have a choice, Delancey!" Race yelled back at him. "Ya don't have enough time ta learn how ta pick a lock! Ya don't have the keys! I'm stuck here!" Angry, frightened tears left Race's bright blue eyes as his face crumbled into despair. "I'm stuck here..." he breathed out again.

Morris shook his head as Crutchie started sobbing. "No... no!" Morris screamed. He scooted forward on his knees wrapping his right hand around the back of the trapped boy's head. "Do you remember what you said ta me when I thought I was about ta die?" Morris asked, brushing away the tears falling down Race's face. "Do ya remember what you said?!" He asked again when Race didn't answer him. "You said that my brother was there and he needed me. Well your brothers are out there, Race! And they need you!"

Race was silent for a moment. He thought about that statement and looked Morris dead in the eye. "No," he whispered. "They need you, Morris. They need Crutchie." The tears on all their faces fell fast as Race said this. "Get him out of here," he demanded.

Crutchie shook as he held onto his friend. One of his best friends. His big brother. He trembled at the thought of losing him. "No... if you stay... I'm stayin' too," the small boy decided, holding Race tightly as the older boy pressed soft kisses to his blond hair. Crutchie could feel the wet tears that were streaming down the Italian's face.

Morris looked at Race with eyes full of anguish. He took the boy into his arms as much as he could, letting Race's head lean against his chest. That's when the flame made it down there. But none of them noticed. Morris sobbed at what he was about to do. He pressed a light kiss to Race's forehead before completely pulling away. "I'm so sorry, Race." He whispered.

"Morris don't!" Crutchie screamed as he held Race. "Don't do this! Race I can't lose you! I need you!"

"I love you, brother." And that was the last thing Crutchie heard before he was hit over the head with something hard, not knocking him completely unconscious, but forcing him into confusion and a dreamlike state.

Morris scooped Crutchie up in his arms. He shook his head at Race as tears wouldn't stop falling. "Race, I-"

"Tell my boys I love 'em," Race out. He nodded his head, accepting his fate. He sniffled as more tears started falling. "Tell 'em how much I love 'em..."

Morris wanted to argue. He wanted so badly to find another way. A way to get Race out, but the flames hit something, and a small explosion blew past them. So the former bully looked back at his friend, giving him one last look. One last heartbroken, sad look, before he nodded and ran the gimp boy in his arms up the stairs to his freedom.

Race coughed as the smoke filled his lungs. The fire was coming to fast now. It was all around him, trying to eat him alive. He screamed as one of the giant flames bit at his arm, burning through the thin fabric that covered it. He yanked at his chains, praying for God to just give him this one miracle. But, as his brain lost oxygen, he heard the faint sound of clanking metal before his world went dark.

Spot watched them come out. He stood next to Jack who was fighting for consciousness on a stretcher. He watched Morris, carrying a limp Crutchie in his arms. The dark haired boy was sobbing as he made it to the gang. He set a panicked Crutchie down and Spot couldn't stop the question. "Where. Is. He?" The Brooklyn leader asked slowly. But the former bully just shook his head, letting the tears stream down his face.

"I c-couldn't..." That was all Spot heard before he was sprinting back to the building, full force, people screaming at him for him to stop, but he couldn't. His friend was inside the burning building. And right before he made it inside, time seemed to slow. A loud pop was heard before the entire building erupted. The fire hit something. Something that made it even more powerful. And Spot was thrown backwards, hitting the pavement with a loud thud. The ringing in his ears couldn't drown out the sounds of screams behind him.

"Race!"

 **I know... I'm awful. But hey, if I get another five reviews before the day ends, I'll post another chapter. :) let's see if you guys can do it!**

 **Thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change and what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Love ya kids!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Wow. Honestly I didn't know if I was expecting that to actually work or not. Oh well, a promise is a promise. Thank you guys for helping me get to more reviews than I ever have for a story before!**

 **selizabethharrisburg: ... ... ... I love you. You just opened up a door my friend. You practically just wrote the next two chapters of this story. But I won't give too much away right now. Thank you so much for the compliment! I'd like to think me getting into the characters heads has something to do with me being an amateur actor. I really try. But dude, for real thank you! And I figured someone would ask that question. I'm laughing right now, no joke, :)**

 **Lyn: I'm glad. I really try to make you guys not want to wait. Thank you so much!**

 **Loved Lover: Oh my gosh... I've never seen anyone accept a challenge better. That was perfect. And babe, push through till the end kid. You can do it. ;) also, welcome to Fansie World. You'll love it here!**

 **bexlynne: I was thinking of you when I brought Spot back into it! I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for reviewing!**

 **FuriedNight: That's so sad! I didn't mean to kill anyone... but hey, if you don't want me to stop, I won't. ;)**

 **I count 1... 2... 3... 4... 5! Thank you guys for the reviews! Enjoy the next chapter. You earned it!**

 _"No!" Jack struggled in the grip of two of his friends he couldn't even name at this point. All he knew was this place was gonna be in the ground in a second and Snyder had just ordered a kill on the two people he held closest in the world. "Crutchie!" He cried out as his side shot a sharp pain through him. But he kept struggling. "Race!"_

 _"Jack stop it!" Spot? "I ain't losin' ya! Not today! Not eva'! Ya hear me, Kelly?" Jack was sure he'd never heard the voice sound more desperate._

 _"Jack, we've gotta get ya to a hospital!" That was definitely Oscar. It felt like a dream, but the pain in the younger boy's voice was so real. "You're bleedin', Jack!"_

 _"He's gonna kill 'em!" Jack's voice broke as he tried to dig his feet into the ground. He was trying to scream that out but his fight was getting weaker and weaker as he was dragged to the exit._

 _"And if you don't get outta here right now, he's gonna kill you!" Jack froze at Spot's words. He looked down at the open skin that was causing him so much pain._

 _"I can't leave them..." was all he was able to whisper out. But he heard Oscar breathing hard behind him. He knew the boy was in the middle of an internal fight with himself. Then he felt the arms around him tighten. His torso was covered and his arms were seized and he was dragged backwards._

 _"I can't leave you!" Oscar's words rang in Jack's head. Suddenly they were outside. Jack was in and out of consciousness. He heard Spot's demand of knowing where someone was, but Jack found himself unable to place who._

 _He heard footsteps. Someone was running. Then the loud crashing of glass and a body hitting the ground._

 _"Race!"_

Jack awoke slowly to a steady beeping noise. His whole body felt weak and tired. As he tried to sit up, his side shot a sharp pain through him, and arms were pushing him back down with gentle, shaky words. Jack's eyes were heavy, but he could still hear the sniffles. He heard the sobs of his boys. He didn't understand. He was the one who was hurt. He wasn't dead. What had happened that was making everyone so upset?

Finally Jack was able to open his eyes and take a glance around the room. What he saw threw him even more into confusion. He was in a white room. Everything was white. It made Jack a little sick. He tried to move again, but delicate hands held him to the bed. Jack looked up to see his girlfriend hovering over him with tears falling from her beautiful brown eyes. He looked around to see Davey standing on his other side with glistening eyes as well. Then he looked around the room to see all his boys. Some were sobbing, some were wiping away the water works, but all were clearly shaken by something.

Then Jack saw Spot. He was sitting in the chair at his bedside. His eyes were squeezed shut and he was shaking with quiet sobs. "Spot...?" The boy looked up at him and shook his head. He was absolutely broken in that moment and Jack squinted, trying to make sure he was looking at the right person.

Behind him, sitting in the corner, on the ground, was Morris. Everyone seemed to be avoiding him. But the thing that made Jack absolutely break into panic was when he looked to his right and saw Crutchie. The boy was sitting up in a hospital bed. Romeo was in his lap. The two boys held each other as they sobbed. And then it hit Jack. And the beeping noise increased in speed.

"No..." Jack shook his head. He felt tubes going into his nose, helping him breathe. His side throbbed as he tried to sit up again, finally succeeding. "No... he's not... no..." And the beeping didn't slow down.

"Jack-" Kathrine tried, her tears falling faster. But she couldn't stop her love's outburst.

"No! He's alive! He has ta be alive!" Jack tried to launch himself off the bed, but Katherine wrapped her arms around him, holding the frantic, weakened boy still. "I didn't lose him! He's still here!"

Morris didn't even notice his tears falling harder and faster. He started to curl in on himself. He covered his face with his arms and hands. He tried to breathe, but every boy in that room had tried to lunge for him. They all resented him for respecting their friend's wishes. Hell, even he was in line to hurt himself.

Crutchie watched his brother scream. "Jack stop it!" He yelled, helplessly. "He's gone!" But even he hated the way those words tasted in his mouth. Gone. It couldn't have been true. This had to have been some sort of sick nightmare. It should've been him. Race had been through too much.

"He's not gone..." Jack fell into Katherine's embrace. He stopped fighting.

Crutchie shook his head. He couldn't believe it was true. That Race had said his last words. That he'd looked his last direction. He'd taken his last breath. And it was because Morris had to drag him up the stairs instead of find a way to help him. It was his fault. Race couldn't be dead. Crutchie refused to believe it. He refused to believe his best friend was gone.

He couldn't be. And he continued to silently believe that as time blurred by.

It had been two days since the explosion. A few hours since Jack had woken up in a pained panic. Jack sat awake in bed. He stared blankly at the wall ahead of him. He couldn't sleep. Crutchie sat in the other bed, quietly sniffling every few seconds, picking at the sheets that covered him. Both of them had silent tears streaming down their faces. It was the middle of the night. Visiting hours were over. Katherine had left him with a parting kiss. Everyone else had just given him awful, heartbreaking glances as they left. Morris had tried to apologize. He'd stood in front of Jack and stuttered for a while before breaking down as the memories of Race saying goodbye filled his mind. But Jack had gently forced him out. After all, it was Jack's fault Race and Crutchie had been put through that hell in the first place.

Jack looked over when the door creaked open a bit. He was extremely relieved to see a familiar face. "Hey, bud," the nurse spoke, gently. "How're we doin'?" Jack only sniffled and wiped away his tears, only for more to fall down his face. So Crutchie responded instead.

"Stitch?" The kid's voice was so broken and high pitched. It was terrible.

"Yeah buddy," he assured in a calming voice. "It's me. I came ta see how you guys were doin'." The man walked over to the bottom of Jack's bed, carefully sitting down next to the seventeen year old's feet. "Medda is on her way," he stated with a smile.

Jack took a shaky breath. "Does she..." he cut himself off for a moment, closing his eyes, trying, in vain, to stop the tears. "Does she know?" He asked, finally.

Crutchie saw something in Stitch's eyes. Something like confusion. Then his face melted into understanding. "No. Not yet. The evidence is inconclusive," he stated, not knowing that that information had been kept from the two boys.

"Inconclusive?" Jack asked. He looked over to Crutchie and saw the hope in the boy's eyes. He tried his best to keep that sane hope from rising up in him. "What the hell does that mean?"

Stitch looked up at Jack, eyes opened wide. "They didn't tell you?" Jack shook his head and awaited the explanation he'd been praying for since he'd woken up. A explanation that gave him hope he didn't deserve. This was his fault, after all.

"They never found the body."

 **There it is guys. Sorry about that little time jump. It was only a couple of hours. I thought about putting in some dialogue there with some of the characters, but when so many people are in one place, it gets harder for me so I left that up to your guys' imaginations. All of the characters are going to have different reactions to their friend dying but I wasn't about to write a twenty page chapter to describe what each of them was feelin, so I came up with an idea. If you guys wanted to see a specific characters reaction, leave it in the reviews and if I get enough, I'll write the reactions in a separate, one-shot for each character, kinda, story. If that makes sense. If ya don't care, then ignore that.**

 **Remember, I freaking love requests. After this story is done, I'll be writing so many other things so just tell me what you guys wanna see and I'll do whatever I can to write it. Thank you!**

 **Alright, so the next chapter is still a little rough, but I mean, if you guys get me to ten more reviews before midnight, it's all yours. Keep in mind the time zone though. I live in Cali. But yeah, I have nothing but time so, keep up the reviews. I only count it once per person though, sorry to all with that question. ;).**

 **As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change and what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Love ya guys!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Oh my gosh, you guys were so close last night! I had eight reviews! Oh well, I'm still happy that I did eventually reach ten this morning. :) so thank you guys very much!**

 **bexlynne: Oh denial. I like it. And thank you for the requests. I'll be sure to start working on those!**

 **FuriedNight: Hey, thanks man! I try really hard! And dude, sorry about making you wait till nighttime. I actually post when I wake up, haha. Sorry but yes! I love requests. Hit me up when you've got it! Thank you so much!**

 **Guest: I'm your first review?! That's amazing! Thank you so much for doing that! And, yes I know. I actually never mean to write stories like this. It just happens. So I promise right after this one, I'll be writing at least a little one-shot about something happier. It'll probably be brotherly fluff. Thank you for reviewing!**

 **selizabethharrisburg: Thank you so much! I hope you know that that scene wouldn't have happened without you. You inspired it so thank you! Don't worry, I don't post any chapters until I've reread them at least three times and made sure that I put in everything I thought necessary. Sometimes I miss things, of course, but I'm glad to have someone like you to call me out on them. Thank you!**

 **Fanz4life: I'm glad you enjoyed the tiny hint of Jatherine. I love them. And I'm glad you love Jack like I love Race. That's awesome! I gonna try to out more hurt!Jack things in my stories. What do you think? Also, about that one-shot, im gonna leave it a one-shot, but the story will continue in another story if that makes sense.**

 **Guest: haha I thought I was gonna get at least one person saying that. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! Please keep it up!**

 **sidenotes-from-satan: ;). Thank you so much!**

 **Loved Lover: You're precious. Thank you so much! And, you're just gonna have to wait and see. :))).**

 **Teeloganroryflan: thank you for reviewing!**

 **Lyn: hon, its never too late to review!**

 **Alright guys, I know you're all dying, so here it is... try not to cry.**

 _Race cried as his head rested on Crutchie's blond hair. He didn't know he'd actually be able to hear the horrors that were happening up those damn stairs. But he heard Jack's grunts of pain. He tried to keep himself calm. He had to. For Crutchie's sake._

 _"Crutchie, close your eyes and cover your ears," Race instructed as the hits became more prominent and painful. He could hear Jack's cries as they kicked him and punched him._

 _The older boy felt Crutchie's head shake. "R-Race I-"_

 _"Do it, Crutch." His voice became calmer as he said this, knowing his brother would listen to him. "Please don't argue with me." Race didn't know how much longer he'd be able to do this. Protect the young gimp from the horrors of reality. But he would do it up until he took his last damn breath._

 _He felt Crutchie's arms hesitantly fall away, but the boy's head stayed put on his chest. Race looked down and saw Crutchie's eyes squeezed shut, fast tears leaking from the closed green orbs. He saw the hands of the kid pressed over his freezing, red ears. He felt his brother shaking, trying to block out all sound and forget what was happening to his brother._

 _Race closed his own eyes and coached himself to breathe. Every time he heard his big brother scream his heart lurched. Every time his heart lurched, his little brother felt it and began to tremble more. So Race tried to block out the noises himself as they grew louder until it suddenly all stopped._

 _Race's eyes shot open. He waited for Jack to be thrown back in the cell, but it never happened. What did happen was Crutchie uncovering his ears when Race's breaths and heartbeat slowed down. What did happen was the scream of the boy that had taken them under his wing so long ago, making its way down to their silent room. What did happen was Race's own panic catching up with him as he desperately pushed himself off the wall and pulled, vigorously, at the chains that held him still._

 _"Jack!" He felt Crutchie's arms around him, holding him down, trying to stop him from hurting himself. He felt Crutchie shaking against him as he whispered into his chest._

 _"It's ok, it's ok, it's ok..." he kept saying it. Though, Race knew, neither of them believed it._

 _As the screaming continued, Race tried to make out the voices. Oscar, Spot, Morris... then Jack's desperate screams. Race knew what was coming. Only one of them was getting out of here._

 _And it wasn't gonna be him..._

Race awoke with a start. He jumped as the vehicle he was in came to a rough stop. He looked around frantically. The boy was in the passengers seat of a car. His hands were cuffed behind his back and he was in the middle of no where. There were fields as far as the eye could see. In front of him was a single cabin. That was it.

As Race tried to move his arms, he cried out in anguish as a burning sensation shot through his left arm. Tears stung at his eyes right before he heard a small laugh. The poor boy felt a hand on his upper left thigh that was dangerously high. Immediately, a familiar feeling of panic took him over. He tried to move from the grasp but was unable as his seatbelt held him down.

"Welcome to your new home, Race." That voice made Race sick. He felt tears streaming down his face as he thought of what had happened before he'd past out. His brothers thought he was dead. No one would come looking.

"N-no..." Race breathed, terrified. "No... please... let me go... let me go!" Race's pleas were heartbreaking. He struggled against the chains that held his hands behind his back, crying out whenever he brushed something up against the awful burn that was on his arm. He found himself yelling for his brothers that were not around to hear him. "Jack! Crutchie!"

Drake rolled his eyes. He got out of the car and walked around to the passenger side door. When he opened it up, he found his pet breathing hard with his eyes squeezed tightly shut. "Stop trying to fight it, baby. Your friend's aren't coming for you." He clipped the boy's chin. "I've got orders from Snyder to dispose of them anyways."

At this, Race's eyes shot open. "Don't touch them." His voice was rough from the smoke that had put him to sleep. It came out as a plea. His brothers were all he had. "Snyder's busted anyways. You don't have ta work for him no more!" But Race's logic only made Drake laugh. The man leaned against the doors frame. His arm rested on top of the car and his other hand grasped the back of the open door.

"So precious and naive, little one." Drake smiled as Race, uncomfortably, tried to move away from him. The boy wouldn't meet his eyes. "Snyder has connections everywhere. He's a very rich, very powerful man. There's no way the legal system will nail him," the evil man explained.

Race couldn't control his panicked breathing. Frightened tears fell from his eyes as he realized there was nothing he could do. Nothing he could say that would make this man reconsider. He tried to struggle again and his arm roughly hit that back of his seat, causing him to bite down on his lip, suppressing a cry.

Drake unbuckled the young boy and dragged him, forcefully, into the cabin. He locked the door behind them and grabbed Race by the upper arm. It wasn't until they made it to the center of the house that Drake stopped, not letting go if his struggling captive, and lifted up a rug on the ground. It revealed a door in the floor. Drake pulled it open before shoving Race down the stairs that were below it.

When they made it to the bottom, they were met with a large bedroom. A king sized bed stood in the middle of it, resting against the far wall in the center. There was a single chair sitting in the upper left corner. It was large and comfortable looking, with soft fabric covering it. The bed was covered with sheets, a heavy blanket and many pillows.

Drake lead the sixteen year old over to the bed by the arm. Race cried out as Drake turned him around and pushed him down onto the soft mattress, grabbing him by his burned arm. Then the man climbed on the bed behind him and Race felt the handcuffs being unlocked. He gasped in relief as he brought his hands around to the front of him. The unzipped sweatshirt he was wearing, the one Jack had given to him so long ago, was black and burned. Race carefully slipped his arm out of the fabric. He felt sick at the sight he was met with.

His forearm was almost completely turned a bright, raw, red color. Blisters were scattered all over the fresh, burning skin. Tears pricked at his blue eyes again, and he looked back to see Drake fiddling with a drawer of a dresser on the wall behind them. Race looked up to the stairs and did the only, desperate, thing he could do. He made a run for it.

"Hey!" Race's heart sped up at the sound of his captors voice. He ran faster, cradling his arm to his chest as he did. The sweatshirt was still only covering one of his shoulders as the rest of it was hanging behind him. But he didn't notice as he made it to the hidden door at the top of the stairs, but before he could open it, arms encircled his torso. He was lifted off of his feet but he kicked and fought against the hold.

"Let me go!" Race's screams took much of the weakened boy's energy, but he fought and fought anyways, wanting nothing more than to go warn his brothers about the man that was a threat to their lives. "Let me go!" He couldn't stop the sobs when he realized this man was stronger than him.

"Don't ever try to run from me again, Anthony," the man growled, holding the boy tightly to his chest. "Or I'll make sure there will be no way for you to run away," Drake threatened.

Race was forced back to the bed. He fought, weakly, as Drake cuffed his right hand to the top post of the bed, making sure he couldn't get away. Then the man brought some water and bandages over and began cleaning Race's wound. The boy let out a strangled cry as the water bottle was poured over his arm, dripping onto the soft mattress, but Drake didn't seem to care. A long bandage was then wrapped around his lower arm, covering up the wound as it was.

Race sniffled as his captor walked back over to the drawer, putting the things back. Then he came back and unhooked the cuffs once more. "I have time for another round right now." Drake smiled as he pressed the young Italian back onto the mattress, pinning him underneath his body. But Race shook his head.

"Don't. Please, Drake..." Race tried, his voice a desperate whisper. But Drake wasn't listening.

"Shhh..." Drake ran a hand through the boy's curly blond hair, smirking when the boy began to tremble under his touch. "Calm down, baby... we're gonna have some fun right now." And Race was powerless to stop it. He was too weak to push the man away as he grabbed for him. And no one was around to hear him when he screamed.

Time blurred by. Race tried to detach himself from it. But many hours later it was finally over. And Race's throat was raw from more than just screaming. It got worse every "round", as Drake liked to call it. And the poor kid wasn't even bound for this one. That is, until Drake decided to leave.

Race struggled weakly. It may have only been a few hours since Drake had left him there. But to the sixteen year old, it felt like months. He lay there, tears streaming down his face as he tried, desperately, to just forget. To forget the past two years of his life. So he thought back to when he'd first met his best friends.

He'd just been thrown out, onto the streets. He was six years old when it happened. His mother was gone and his father couldn't look at him anymore. The drunken man tossed him out on the streets, saying he wasn't welcome back home. Jack found him, two days later, shivering out in the snow, hiding behind some dumpsters in an alley way the boy was using to get to his foster home before anyone noticed.

Race had been terrified of him at first, remembering all the times his father, or older kids would beat on him because they needed to lash out at something. But the seven year old had snuck him into a warm house, given him food and water and a bed to sleep in for the night. It stayed that way for weeks before he was found out and thrown into the system. After that, Jack had been moved. Half a year later, Jack showed up at Race's foster parent's front door. He had been bloodied and bruised and had trouble holding himself up. By then, Race had already met Spot. They were in the same home. The older boy had taken Race under his wing, teaching him everything he knew. The two took Jack in as much as they could without alerting their temporary guardians. When the three boys were separated again, they still found each other. To this day, Race still couldn't explain how. Eventually, Spot was moved to Brooklyn and Jack was out in a foster home with a gimp boy. Then it was the three of them. Jack, Race and a new, optimistic, boy they fondly called Crutchie. And it always would be the three of them.

Until now, Race decided as he sniffled. He thought about screaming. Drake hadn't bothered to gag him after he'd left. But the boy was tightly bound in thick ropes. His wrists were pinned together, as well as his elbows. His bare legs were bound in three places. His ankles and above and below his knees. He lay on his side, willing the ropes to just snap and fall away. Maybe he should try to forget about his brothers. Maybe it would ease the pain of knowing he'd never get out to see them again. He was trapped. And there was no one around to hear his cries.

As far as Race was concerned, his hope had died in that fire, as well as himself.

But then, Race looked around the room, trying to become familiar with it. And on the table next to the bed, he saw a familiar device. He'd never understand why on earth Drake would be so stupid as to leave his cell phone right next to him, but Race thanked God for the small miracle.

It took him around thirty minutes to get the device onto the bed, using only his mouth. But he let tears of relief fall when he did it. Maybe hope wasn't always for suckers. He somehow flipped the thing open and called number one on his speed dial, using his nose to press the buttons.

Race smiled to himself as he recalled all the messing around with Albert and Elmer that had made him practice using his small flip phone without his hands. He'd be sure to thank his friends for that if he ever got out of this. And when he heard a voice on the other end of the line, he thought maybe it would all be ok. Maybe he would make it out after all.

The bound boy heard someone breathing hard. "...Race?" The voice was shaking with disbelief. And Race cried when he heard it.

"Jack!"

 **Ok... you're right. I love him too much to kill him. I don't know if I can challenge you guys again. I have the next chapter done, but that's it. But hey, please let's get to ten more reviews by tomorrow morning. Hopefully I'll have more of the story done by then. Thank you!**

 **So far, for the requests, I have Spot, Romeo, Medda and Crutchie, I believe. If you guys wanna see more of how these guys reacted to Race's "death" let me know in the reviews.**

 **Guys! Make sure you go check out my friend bexlynne's stories. They're fantastic! And you guys need a breath from this nightmare. There's a lot of fluff over there so be sure to go check it out! Thank you!**

 **Also, make sure to go read and review my other stories! Thanks!**

 **As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change or what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Love ya kids!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Well, here we are again. I'm sorry to those of you who are hooked. I actually have no idea how I thought up this story. But hey, thanks for reading it.**

 **bexlynne: Hey, roller coasters are awesome! ;) haha anyways, yeah i know. I think I need to give Race a break at some point. But I doubt that'll happen. Anyways, I knew you would love that Spot Conlon part. I was gonna write a fic about Spot but I don't have any solid ideas yet. Thank you!**

 **selizabethharrisburg: Oh my gosh!! I passed!!! That's amazing! I'm so glad you loved everything about the last chapter! Don't get me wrong, I thrive on your critiques. They make me a better writer. But I'm so glad I wrote a perfect chapter! It just makes me feel like this one isn't gonna be quite as good. But I still hope you like it. Thank you so much for your reviews!**

 **FuriedNight: Haha yeah. I should write a happy fic for Race, I know. It's just so hard for some reason. Anyways, I'm so excited for your request! I can't wait to see what you've come up with and try to bring it to life. Thank you so much for reviewing!**

 **Teeloganroryflan: uuummmmm, you're amazing, hon. Love ya! Thank you so much for reviewing!**

 **sidenotes-from-satan: Oh you poor things. I'm sorry. :). But thank you for reviewing!**

 **Fanz4life: ... Dang it! You're write. Stupid autocorrect. Haha anyways, I promise I will! Thank you so much for your continuous reviews! They are greatly appreciated.**

 **Enjoy!**

The hospital room was silent. Stitch had left a few minutes ago, leaving Jack and Crutchie alone. He'd given Jack back his phone, which gave him some comfort. Now Jack sat awake by himself. His little brother finally cried himself to sleep about thirty minutes ago. But Jack was absolutely broken when he heard Crutchie's screams.

The boy had been laying on his side, his young face towards Jack. But Jack could see the change in his brother's soft features. His eye brows knit together and his whole body seemed to tense up. "No..." the boy mumbled. "No... no, no, no!" The screams were relentless. "Jack! Help! Please! No, Race!"

Jack knew he shouldn't be walking. He was in a lot of pain, no matter how many painkillers he maybe on. But his brother needed him. So he carefully stood to his feet. He grunted in pain as he hit the floor. He removed the wires and tubes that he was hooked to, some more painfully than others. Bracing himself against the wall and the curtains as he made his way over to his terrified friend.

"Crutchie," he managed to get out as he gasped, his side shooting pain throughout his entire body. The little boy did not hear him, but Jack finally made it to the bed. He was relieved when he was able to sit next to his brother. Gently, he took the screaming kid into his arms, letting Crutchie try and fight against him.

"Crutch, I'm here. I'm here kid, just wake up," the older boy begged. He felt Crutchie relax in his arms but the boy still mumbled in his sleep.

"Please... Race, I need you..."

Jack couldn't stop the tears. "Wake up, kid."

Crutchie's eyes shot open. All he knew was, Jack's arms were around him. "Jack!" He cried as he latched onto his older brother. "They have Race! They're hurting him! Because he won't let them hurt me..." The boy's voice faded out to a whisper as he came back to reality.

Jack hiccuped in a breath as Crutchie started sobbing. "I'm so sorry..." Jack choked out. "I'm so sorry, brother..."

Crutchie wasn't sure if Jack was apologizing to him... or to Race. Maybe it was both at this point. But it didn't matter. "It ain't your fault, Jack. It ain't Morris's fault. It ain't anyone's fault but Snyder's." And that was damn well true.

Jack closed his eyes and resting his chin in his baby brother's hair. He let the boy cry into his chest as he rocked him back and forth, ignoring the pain that shot through him from that damn blade that had been shoved through his skin by a guard who didn't even know why he was supposed to kill him.

They sat there for a while like that. No one came in and scolded Jack for pulling off his restraints and the boys were grateful to be able to mourn together for a little bit before Jack's phone shrieking broke the silence.

Crutchie gasped when he heard the noise and Jack shushed him, gently. The boy pushed himself off of his brother's bed and grabbed at the wall, making his way back over to his phone. He expected it to be Katherine, the girl knew him too well to think he'd be asleep. But his heart stopped at the name that popped up on his screen.

...Jack blinked, expecting himself to wake up... the phone rang again... he stared in disbelief as it rang... another shriek... Jack answered the phone. "..." Jack tried to breathe. He prayed for a miracle. He prayed. "...Race?"

The second of silence that passed lasted an eternity for Jack. He felt himself starting to shake, wondering if this was a joke. If this was only a cruel joke the world was playing on him. But he fell to his knees when the response met his ears.

"Jack!"

The voice was rough. It was desperate, scared, shaking and pleading, but Jack didn't care. Because it was a voice he never thought he'd hear again. "Oh my God..." the seventeen year old breathed. "Oh my God, Racer... you're alive... Race, you're alive!" Jack felt his whole body shaking with relief.

"Yeah..." Race smiled as he heard his friend's voice through the phone. "Jack..." he choked out.

Jack heard Crutchie call out behind him, but Jack shushed him. "Racer... where are ya, kid? Are ya hurt?" Jack asked in a rush. All he wanted to do was hold the boy. The boy who sounded absolutely petrified.

Race took shaky breaths. He didn't know if he would be able to stop himself from hyperventilating. But he tried to answer the question. "I-I... I don't... I don't know..." he was able to sob out. "It's Drake... he brought me here... the middle of no where... I-I think it's a secret... secret room." The boy's voice cracked. "It's a cabin... I-I don't know, Jack... but I can't..." he paused, trying to catch his breath, "I can't get out."

Jack let the tears stream down his face as he looked back to his little brother. He took his phone and put it on speaker. "Race, it's gonna be okay," the oldest of them breathed. "We're gonna find you."

"Jack..."

Crutchie heard the voice. He couldn't believe it. "Race?" He asked, assuming his mind was playing a cruel trick on him.

"Crutchie!" Was heard shouted back through the phone. Crutchie blinked. He was trying to figure out weather he was dreaming or not. "Crutchie, it's okay." It was as if Race could read the boy's mind. "I'm really here... Drake... Drake pulled me from the fire."

"Race..." Crutchie breathed. He grabbed the crutch from the wall it had been leaning up against. He collapsed next to Jack, who was still on the floor. "I thought..." he trailed off, not wanting to relive those horrifying moments.

Race smiled into the phone. He felt hope rise in his chest. They knew he was alive. Maybe he would make it out alive after all. But then Jack asked a question that made Race freeze. "Kid... I need ya ta think hard alright? Where's Drake?"

Race's breath hitched. Drake? Where did he go? He said he wasn't leaving to get back to the city until tomorrow. "I... I don't know..." he whispered, terrified. "He l-left a long time ago." His voice began to shake again. "I... I'm scared, Jack..." he admitted, brokenly.

"Hey, kid, listen ta me, alright?" Jack said, gently. "We are going to find you. I'm gonna get you outta there. I swear, Race..." he whispered. He heard the boy hyperventilating on the other end of the line and he held Crutchie close when the boy started shaking at the sound of their terrified friend.

Race struggled again. He sniffled and was about to reply when a loud bang was heard above him. Before he could even try to hide the device he used against his captor, the man was on top of him. "I'm disappointed, Anthony," he pouted. He straddled Race's hips as he sat on the boy. He traced lines on the kid's bare chest. "I thought you knew your place here." Drake's eyes were dangerous. He was only comforting his prey before he made his move.

Race let the scared tears fall as he begged the man to stop. "Drake, please! I just-"

"Shshshsh, baby," the man whispered. He smiled down at the boy, evilly, and brushed Race's curly blond hair out of his face. "Don't say another word," he ordered, in a stern voice.

"Race?" Jack cried out, trying desperately to get his friend back on the phone. "Race?!" But the boy wouldn't respond. Instead another voice took over the phone.

"Oh Mr. Kelly," Drake sighed. "I had hoped that blade killed you."

"Leave him alone!" This time it was Crutchie who yelled into the small device in Jack's hand.

Race struggled as Drake smirked into the phone. But the man shushed him again and turned his head down into a pillow, almost silencing him. "And the useless cripple too? This is just so perfect," the man laughed. Then he looked down to the boy who had started silently sobbing underneath him. "Say goodbye to your friends, Race," he ordered. "You'll never speak to them again."

All Jack heard on the other end of the line was a terrified cry before the line went dead. And Jack was left with a sobbing Crutchie in his arms.

 **Oh I'm sorry.**

 **Alright, my goal is ten reviews by tomorrow morning. Let's see if you guys can do it!**

 **Alright so I'm hearing from a lot of you guys that you want to read something happy. I have some options. First off, my friend bexlynne has some fansietastic stories. They've got some fluff and happiness and they're awesome! Go check them out and review them! Also, in other news, I finished another chapter of Still Callin' You Baby and its very light and adorable. So I'll be posting that a little later. Be sure to go check it out. Thank you!**

 **As always, thank you for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change or what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Thank you so much! Love ya babes!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hello! Welcome to hell. I'm the devil. But hey, you came here by choice. ;) I'm just kidding.**

 **bexlynne: Thank you so much! Honestly, I'm excited to see what happens next as well.**

 **selizabethharrisburg: Oh my goodness I love your reviews! They make me work harder on these stories, not even kidding. Honestly, I have no idea why these past two chapters have been the best ones, but I'm gonna try my hardest to make sure it stays that way. I want it to get better and better each chapter. Thank you so much for your critiques and your complements. They really really get me going. Thank you!**

 **Loved Lover: Aww thank you so much! Honestly it's one of my favorite things to write in this fandom. I love protective!Jack. I'm really glad you like it! Thank you so much!**

 **FuriedNight: Haha yeah, you're right. I does sum it up quite nicely. Thank you so much for your review!**

 **Teeloganroryflan: Thank you, hon! I love your reviews!**

 **Fanz4life: Thank you so much for reviewing! And I know I'm evil. Sometimes you've just gotta embrace it. ;)**

 **So, I definitely saw Newsies in theatres last night for the fourth time. Yeah. It was freaking awesome. Anyways,**

Crutchie was hyperventilating. Jack wasn't much better. But the older boy barely had enough strength to hit the red button that would contact a nurse. Then his arm dropped back down to his shaking brother. "It's okay, kid. It's all gonna be okay." He wasn't sure who he was trying to convince. A minute later, the door was pushed open and two nurses walked in.

"What the hell happened, guys?" Jack looked up to see Bones. He just started crying harder.

"R-Race..." Crutchie's voice shook. "He... he's alive. Just called us... he needs help!"

"Whoa kid, slow down." Stitch. Jack saw them come closer and he immediately tensed. When they noticed his hesitation, they both put up their hands up in a showing of peace. "We're just gonna help you up," Stitch assured. Jack was still cautious of people touching him, had been ever since he'd woken up, but Crutchie was who Jack was really trying to protect. Every time someone would go close to his young friend, he'd throw a fit. But he slowly nodded his head, his hold on his brother, however, not loosening.

Bones and Stitch helped Jack sit on his bed, sitting Crutchie down right next to him on the same mattress.

"Now what's this about Race?" Stitch asked, crossing his arms.

"Stitch, Race... he's alive," Jack allowed himself a small smile as he wrapped Crutchie back up in his arms. "He called me. He's alive!" But Jack saw the sad look on Stitch's face.

"Jack... you must've been dreamin', bud-" he tried to explain.

"No! Race is alive. Drake took him!" Crutchie's outburst was enough to break Bones's heart. "He's alone and he's scared! We have ta find him!"

Stitch was about to argue again. It was unlikely that Race survived that explosion. Body or no body, he wasn't buying it. But Bones cut him short.

"Okay kid." He sighed, crossing his arms and sitting at the foot of the bed. "Tell us what happened."

Drake smiled up at his captive. Race wore only his boxers as he struggled on the man's lap. Drake was laying down on the bed and Race was straddling his hips as he sat on his knees on the bed. His legs were no longer restrained, but his wrists and elbows had not been released. The kid had tears steaming down his face as he eyed the gun that was pressed into his left thigh.

"You are a sight, little one," Drake sighed as he watched his pet fight against his restraints.

Race sobbed. He knew he couldn't get out of the ropes, but the gun that pressed into his leg forced him to struggle anyways. He tried his best to catch his breath as his captor laughed at his expense. But that only made Race more frantic. Eventually, his chin dropped down to his chest in defeat. He gave one last, desperate, tug of the ropes before he gave up. His skin felt hot and he didn't know why but he felt freezing. His arm still burned after not being properly treated. He did his best to ignore it, but he was having trouble with that.

"Giving up so soon, baby?" Drake teased. He carefully sat up, pushing Race back onto his lap while doing so, forcing the boy to still sit on top of him, their faces inches apart. "I gotta say, I thought you had more of a fight in you," he said, disappointed.

Race didn't respond. He just closed his eyes, willing it all to go away. He just wanted to wake up in Medda's big house again. He wanted the smell of pancakes down from the kitchen. He wanted to turn down his perfect guardian when she offered him a ride to school so that he could go walk with the boys he called his brothers. He wanted Albert to snatch the stupid, unlit cigar out of his mouth and run around with it and drive him out of his mind while trying to get it back. He wanted to knock JoJo's baseball cap over his eyes, playfully, so he couldn't see. He wanted to scoop Romeo up in his arms and walk him to school. He wanted to follow Jack around Jacobi's while dodging customers and other waiters so he could talk to the older boy. He wanted Crutchie to fight with him when he stole his crutch. He wanted it all so badly, he found himself breathing out, "I want my brothers." The tears that made their way down his face were broken and heart wrenching.

Drake didn't even flinch at the broken tone of his captive. He just brushed Race's hair out of his eyes and grabbed the kid's blond locks in his hand. He forced the boy to look up at him with lost blue eyes. "Forget about them, little one. It's just you and me now," he assured, wrapping his arms underneath Race and pulling him closer.

Race didn't respond. After all, his stupid mouth got him where he was now. He just closed his eyes tight and let tears fall as Drake leaned his face up against his own, their noses touching. "You're shaking, baby," he pointed out, his hand coming up to cup the boy's cheek. "And you're burning up." The blond boy tried, weakly, to pull away, but Drake easily pulled him back. "Let's get you some water."

The Italian boy let himself be moved back onto his back on the bed. His captor got up and moved to one of the drawers in the dresser again, pulling out a bottle of water. Then, he walked back over to the bed, smiling down at the boy who lay still on the bed, silently crying, his eyes staring into space as he was lost in thought, detached from everything else around him. Drake just pulled the boy back on top of him. He made sure Race's head lay just below his shoulder as he twisted the bottle open and gently pressed the liquid to the boy's chapped lips.

Race felt the water running down his throat and realized how thirsty he truly was. Suddenly it didn't matter that Drake was the one giving it to him. Race started gulping down the cool substance as fast as he could, not knowing how much longer he'd have to wait for another drink. When it was pulled away, Race whimpered, wanting more of it and coughing as he swallowed too much of it at once. But Drake only laughed.

"Settle down, sweetheart," he cooed, "you won't get rid of that fever if you get yourself so worked up."

In Race's weakened state, he had no other choice than to collapse into the man he wanted nothing more than to get away from. He let his head rest on the man's shoulder as he began to pass out. His skin felt clammy and he felt sick but Drake didn't seem to care. He just played with the gambler's hair as his world turned to black.

 **I know this chapter was short but it had some very important things in it. Also, I really do love Stitch and Bones. They're fun.**

 **Hey guy! I posted something happy! Go check out Still Callin' You Baby! So far, it's very light and fluffy. If you want to read something not so dark, also go check out that one and my friend bexlynne's stories! They're awesome! Thank you!**

 **I'm always good for a request! Just leave it in the reviews or PM me, you can do it now I promise. For some reason I had it off before but it's all good now. Just let me know what you wanna see and your wish is my command. Thank you!**

 **As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change and what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Love ya kids!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hi guys! Welcome back!**

 **selizabethharrisburg: Thank you for your constant reviews! They literally help me write in better qualities and I love them! Okay, here's the thing about Drake, I'm just gonna tell you straight out, he doesn't care about Race as a person. To him Race doesn't have a personality or a right to speak. He literally sees Race as nothing more than a toy for him. The reason it seems like he cares is because he's realizing something is wrong with Race's physical health and he wants to continue to play with him, but he won't be able to if Race is dying. That's why he gives him water. As I've described in previous chapters, Drake isn't always, necessarily gentle with Race. He does what he wants cause all he cares about is making himself happy. I hope that clears that up for you! Thank you so much for your reviews! They mean a lot!**

 **bexlynne: that part broke my heart to write! But I loved the idea that the last thing he actually speaks to Drake being that he wanted his brothers. I'm evil that way. And you're welcome! Thank you for reviewing!**

 **Teeloganroryflan: I know! And it's not over yet! Thank you sonic for your reviews! Love ya!**

Spot sat up straight in his chair at Jack's side. He knew it. He knew it damn it! Race was too good, too strong to be gone already. His best friend was alive. His brother from Manhattan was alive. His mouth hung open at the news. He found himself speechless as he realized that his friend might be alive, but they had no idea where he was.

Katherine shook her head. There was no way. She tried to argue that it had to be a dream before she allowed herself to hope. Hope for the boy, for her friend, to be alive. To be waiting for them to save him.

"Race..." Spot breathed, tears in his eyes. "Race is alive?" His voice shook, unnaturally. He wasn't used to looking so vulnerable.

Jack nodded at him. Crutchie still sat next to him, leaning into his older brother. "He's alive. And we're gonna find him," Jack promised.

"How, Jack?" Katherine asked, curiously. "The cops are doing all they can to find Snyder's guards but... they haven't found Drake yet. They think he's in a different country by now."

This time, it was Crutchie who shook his head. "Race is my brother. I don't care what we do. I don't care where Drake is, I'm gonna find him. No matter what." Spot nodded his head in approval at the boy's strong tone. That was something he, no doubt, picked up from Jack as well as Race.

Spot wiped away his uncertain tears and looked around the room at the three other people that had been told the information. "What are we gonna do?" It was a valid question. "How do we find Drake?"

Jack's face became stone hard. "We're gonna ask the devil himself."

Katherine watched her boyfriend, carefully. As well as the young blond boy beside him. They'd just been released way too early from the hospital. What the hell had she done? Currently, they were walking out to Davey's car. The boy was confused as he pulled up in his parents minivan. They had yet to tell him what they were doing.

"Are you sure you should be doing this, guys?" Stitch placed a hand on Jack's shoulder just as he was about to get in Davey's car. "You're still hurt," he pointed out. Jack turned and watched Spot help Crutchie into the back of the car before climbing in after him, sitting in the middle seat, letting Katherine slid in right next to them, the backseat completely empty. Then he looked back to Stitch and Bones.

"Yeah. It still hurts... but Race is my brother. And he needs me," Jack stated, losing himself in the thoughts of what his second in command must've been going through. Scared, hurt, alone with a monster, calling out for Jack. Jack wasn't an idiot. Race had knocked on their window plenty of times, even after he'd moved in with Medda. The poor kid was terrified of Drake. Of going through that hell again. And when he had nightmares about it, he would always cry out for Jack to make it all stop. To wake him up and hold him while he cried. And Jack was angry with himself that he couldn't save him. Couldn't protect him from Drake. But he was gonna get him back. He promised himself that.

"Just as long as you're sure, kid." Bones smiled and ruffled Jack's hair. "Please don't do anything stupid," he asked, gently. "Just bring him back safe, alright?" Jack nodded and smiled a little bit.

"Thank you." And then they were off.

"Anyone wanna tell me why I'm takin' ya down ta talk ta the guy who kidnapped you?" Davey asked, pulling out of the hospital parking lot. He had tried to fight with Jack when the boy had asked him for a ride.

"Don't forget ta pick up the Delanceys too," Jack added as the began their trip. "We need 'em."

Davey sighed and drove towards the boys' house. "Then you'll tell me what's goin' on?" He asked, not really buying it.

"Of course, Davey," Jack assured.

Oscar opened the door. The relentless knocking was getting on him and his brother's nerves. Their uncle was who knows where, doing who knows what. The Delanceys had been sitting in silence, lost in thought. When the younger one pulled the door open, he wiped at his eyes, not wanting to show the tears he still wore at the shock of knowing the one real friend he'd made, the one kid he knew that actually believed him to be somewhat good, was gone.

"Whaddya doin' here, Kelly?" He asked, his voice cracking.

Morris heard his brother's question and made his way to the door as well, sniffling as he saw the other boy. He saw Jack in the doorway, his face full of worry and panic. "What's the matter, Jack?" He asked, wrapping an arm around his kid brother's shoulder.

"Get in the car." That was all Jack was able to rush out. "Please... I'll explain later... just please get in the car." The boy was begging. And Oscar had never seen Jack beg in his life.

Davey drove off, taking the car in the direction of the prison. "Alright Jack," he sighed. "What's goin' on?" He asked, irritated. His friends shouldn't be up and walking around. "You were stabbed, Jack. And Crutchie was beaten. You shouldn't be up and movin' yet."

Jack scoffed. "Thanks for the reminder, Dave." Then Jack glanced over to his friend. He felt tears pricking at his eyes as he thought of the reason he left the hospital. Then he looked back at Crutchie. The young blond nodded. "Race is alive."

The entire car dissolved into a tense silence. Morris stared at Jack from the backseat in disbelief. "Race..." he breathed. He felt his brother grab his arm as he began shaking. "Race... he's alive?" The guilt had been eating away at him. Oscar had seen it. For the past few days, Morris had refused to eat. He'd lay in bed for hours, not talking to him. He blamed himself for Race's death.

"What? How?" Davey turned his head to Jack. The other boy wiped at his eyes.

"Drake," he stated, plainly. His voice was laced with poison as he thought about the evil man. "Drake pulled him from the fire." Jack took a deep breath as he thought about those last few moments of talking with his brother. "He's using my brother as his own, personal, toy," he spat out. "The Spider's the only one who's gonna know where they are."

Oscar sat in shock. He gripped his brother's arm. "How do you think you'll get him ta talk ta us?" He asked, his voice shaking.

Crutchie set his jaw as he thought about the man. Both of the men that were responsible for Race being trapped right now. "We're not leavin' till he tells us where Race is," he stated, matter of factly.

Jack smirked a bit at his little brother's words but then his face once again became stone hard. "I have my ways."

Katherine lead the boys through the prison. She explained that she was a reporter, writing up a story about Snyder's abuses. They let her passed with her entourage. She paced behind her boyfriend as he sat down in the chair, waiting for the man that gave them all nightmares.

"You sure ya wanna do this, Jackie?" Spot's voice held its natural confidence, but Jack knew the other boy was nervous. After all, the king of Brooklyn had had his run ins with the Spider too.

Jack sighed and looked back at him. He nodded his head. "It's the only way we can find him, Spot." Jack took a deep breath. "I am not going to lose him again."

Snyder smirked as he saw who his visitor was. Well, visitors. He sat down, that stupid evil grin not leaving his face. The man pulled the phone off of the wall and watched the boy do the same. Jack's green eyes shot lasers back at him and he just laughed. "Kelly," he spat out, his mustache not hiding the smile at the fact that he was pleased with the toll he'd taken on the boy in the past few days. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Jack glared at the monster. "Drake. Tell me where he is," he demanded, his gaze not faltering in the least when Snyder started cracking up.

"What's the matter? Did he take something valuable with him?" He chuckled.

Jack stood up and Spot had to hold him back from pounding on the glass. "Tell me where he is, damn it!"

Crutchie flinched as his brother yelled. Davey held him by the shoulders, doing his best to calm the boy down, but the man that had caused them so much pain was just on the other side of that glass. He didn't know how they were all gonna get through this.

Oscar and Morris stood off to the side. They took in the scene. Neither one of them knew if Snyder had noticed them yet. They hoped he wouldn't. If Snyder got out, they'd be ripped apart. So Morris wrapped his arm around Oscar's shoulders and held him close.

Katherine stood back. She held her notepad in her hand, watching her love lose it as the man laughed at a boy in the hands of a monster. She shook her head at the cruelty. She wanted nothing more than for Race to be in their arms. And this was sadly the only way to do it.

"What's in it for me?" That question made Jack sick. What's in it for him if he gives them the location of where their friend was being held prisoner. Where their brother was being used as nothing more than a play thing for a man seeking sexual pleasure. But, non the less, Jack answered.

"If you tell me where Drake took my brother," Jack stated. "I'll make sure you don't go away for life," he promised, earning another laugh.

"They can't nail me," Snyder spoke with so much confidence. "They don't have enough proof."

Jack smirked. "Oh, Snyder." The boy placed a hand over his heart in mock offense as he gestured to his beautiful girlfriend to come closer, when she did, he smirked. "I happen to know some very powerful reporters who could spill all your secrets and tell the world who Warden Snyder really is." He smirked, as Snyder seemed to sober at the threat. "So you tell me, Spider," Jack spat out the name like a poison as he continued. "Is hiding my kid brother from me, worth goin' away for every crime that they'll pull up from all your years of 'service'?" Jack asked.

Katherine looked over at her boy, shocked, though, a little impressed. Then she looked back at Snyder and smirked at his sneer. "Your choice, Mr. Snyder."

The man was silent. He glared at every kid in the room, staring daggers at each and every one of them until the short one with the large muscles hit the table. "Tell us where he is!" The kid demanded, making everyone in the room, even Snyder and the guard behind him, jump, at the sudden action. Snyder growled.

"Have a seat, Kelly."

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this little chapter. Sorry that it didn't have Race in it, but I figured I'd give him a little brake today.**

 **Alright guys, can we go for eight reviews by tomorrow? I love setting goals! And I need motivation to post, so I think you guys can do it!**

 **Remember, I'm always good for a request. I love writing what you guys want to see. Feel free to leave on in the reviews or to PM me. (It works now, promise). Thank you!**

 **As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change or what you'd improve by leaving a review! Love ya babes! ;)**


	17. Chapter 17

**Good morning everyone! Thanks for stopping by!**

 **bexlynne: I'm glad you liked it. I love writing Spot Conlon where he intimidates everyone because he's that amazing. Thank you!**

 **Teeloganroryflan: I'm so very happy you love this! Thank you for your reviews!**

 **Fanz4life: I will try my very hardest to write some more fluff. I have an idea for a one-shot that I wanna write after this is done so stay tuned. Thank you!**

 **sidenotes-from-satan: I love how it's exactly 3.2. That's perfect! I love it. Thank you so much for reviewing!**

 **selizabethharrisburg: Thank you so much! Your reviews have helped me come this far. It really means a lot to me that you continue to help me grow as a writer! Thank you!**

 **Alright, here it is. Enjoy!**

Race didn't move. At this point, he didn't even think he could. He legs and arms had been rebound, painfully. The most Race had been able to do was whimper as the man pressed tape over his lips. His boxers had been left on, and Race thanked God for that small miracle. But he lay on the bed, shaking. He could feel the sweat on his forehead and yet he was shivering. His arm ached with even the slightest of movements and his eyelids were heavy, though he couldn't sleep.

Drake had left a while ago. Race could only assume it was to prepare for the murder of his best friends. His brothers. But Race was out of tears. There were bags under his eyes and the outlines of his stunning blue orbs were red with sorrow. He sniffled as he came to terms with the fact that there was absolutely nothing he could do.

The poor boy could hear Drake walking around in the room above him. He heard the man stomping around, grabbing equipment for something Race couldn't bare to think about. Something that would be the end of the Racetrack everyone knew.

Minutes later, the hatch to Race's small prison was opened again and down the stairs came someone that the boy didn't want to see. As Drake settled on the bed next to him, Race squirmed away. But Drake just grabbed him by the ropes that bound his elbows and pulled him back.

Race let out a shaky breath through his nose as the man began to press his lips to his bare shoulder. He whimpered and tensed as the man moved along his shoulder to his neck. He felt his captor nibbling on his ear and he made a move to get away from him. But that only resulted in the dangerous man becoming irritated.

"What have I told you about fighting me, Race?" He scolded, his voice right next to the Italian's ear. Race trembled more as he felt the man's breath on his skin. "It will only make it worse," he warned as he roughly pulled his pet back into him and kissed behind the boy's ear.

Race hated it. He hated the way the man's lips felt. He hated the way it felt when their bodies were close to each other. He hated the way Drake would touch him. He hated the way Drake would speak to him, like he was a small child. Like he was some animal that needed to obey their master's orders. He hated the way he couldn't move. The way he couldn't fight back. He hated it. He just wanted out.

Drake ran his hands up and down his perfect captive. He felt how tense the boy was. "Relax, baby," he soothed, smiling into the crook of the kid's neck as he pressed his lips down on the soft skin again. "No ones coming for you. Just relax. It's just me and you now." And Race started sobbing, once more.

The man just moved around the boy's body to his hearts content. His hands were everywhere. The boy's neck, his chest, his stomach, his thighs. But, as Drake fingered his boxers, the boy's instincts kicked in and he jerked away. He didn't expect his hair to be grabbed and for his head to be yanked back as his captor became angry with him. He cried out as his hair was pulled, though this time he didn't try to fight it.

"If you don't listen, Anthony, it'll only make it harder on you. You're still trying to fight off that awful fever. Do you want to make this harder?" He asked, evilly. He forcefully turned the boy over so their bodies were facing each other. The grip on the boy's hair did not loosen. Drake smiled as the boy, painfully, shook his head. "Good boy. Now stay still."

And so it continued. Race made as little noise as possible, the thought of it being longer than it already, inevitably, would be terrifying him enough to not cause trouble for his captor. As it happened he sobbed. Though, this time, he was glad to have been gagged. The alternative only made matters worse. And Race didn't think he could handle worse.

When Drake decided he was done, he pulled Race's boxers back up, continuing in his fluency when Race flinched at the bruises that still haunted his hips and his torso. Race sniffled as Drake rested his chest against his warm back and wrapped his arms around him. He weakly coughed into the gag and Drake rested his chin on his shoulder, glancing over at him.

"Aww, baby," he cooed. "Is it getting worse?" Race didn't respond in anyway. He just stared straight ahead with tears clouding his perfect blue eyes. He knew Drake didn't actually care about him. All the evil man cared about was loosing his goddamn toy. Race tried his best to keep his body from shaking, both from Drake's abuse, harassment and touch, and from whatever sickness his body was becoming too weak to keep fighting off.

Race allowed his body to sag in relief when he couldn't feel the man's body against him anymore. He closed his eyes, relishing in the moment. He sniffled as he pretended for just that one moment, he was in Jack's apartment. He pretended for those few precious seconds that his brother's were there. For that one minute, he pretended he was safe. But then, his arm was grabbed roughly. His burned arm. And Race knew why he felt the way he did.

The poor boy made a noise somewhere between a moan and a whimper. Tears fell from his eyes as he was rolled onto his back, but all Race felt was the pain that was shooting through his raw arm. The boy opened his eyes to see Drake holding a damp cloth over him. The man started dabbing at his sticky skin. The cool rag felt good against Race's chest and over his face, but his eyes wouldn't leave Drake's evil face.

Drake just smirked. "Don't give me that look, little one," he said as Race glared at him with scared eyes. "Just relax. It'll be over soon. I'm gonna get that fever down," he promised, moving the rag down his pet's legs, making the boy visibly tense. "I can't have you getting so sick now, can I? Then we wouldn't be able to have our fun." Then the man gladly started to press long kisses to the skin he touch with the rag. His lips traveled up his stomach to his chest up his neck and up to the tape that covered his lips.

Race squirmed under the touch, barely enough for the man to even notice. The boy was fading. He wasn't sure how much longer he could fight against unconsciousness. He tried to struggle against the man's touch but found himself becoming weaker and weaker. Drake only laughed at his pathetic attempt to get away. "Relax, baby."

Race let out a sob. He felt hot tears streaming down his face. But then something happened.

 _Knock, knock, knock_

Drake looked up and looked around. "Who in the hell..." the man trailed off, irritated that his time with his pet had been cut short. He sighed and threw the rag to the side in anger, making Race flinch. The man's face melted into a smile at his reaction. "I'm sorry, baby," he whispered, leaning down over boy, his lips ghosting the warm skin of his chest before the knocking began again. Drake rolled his eyes and groaned. He wiped away the tears that were slowing on the boy's cheeks. "Don't move." This time, Drake's voice lost all of its fake gentleness. He was irritated. And Race would be feeling it later. So the boy didn't move.

Drake stomped up the stairs to the main floor and made his way to the door after hiding his pet in the secret room by replacing the rug over it. When he got to the door, he yanked it open. But when he saw who was on the other side, his face became one of an amused type of shock.

A boy stood in the doorway. He was shivering from the cool air and he wasn't looking up at Drake. He was out of breath and he was holding his arm. He was bleeding.

"What the hell, Delancey?"

 **Again, I am sorry about the shortness of this chapter. Anyways...**

 **Feel free to leave me any requests you guys might have for a story. If you have a scene in mind or anything like that just leave it in the reviews or feel free to PM me at any time. ;)**

 **Go check out my other fics! I would very much appreciate it if I got some more reviews on my one-shots just to see if you guys like them! Also, make sure to go check out one of my favorite stories, A Regular Little Romeo by my friend bexlynne. Thank you!**

 **As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change and what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Love ya kids!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Guy, I'm so sorry. I think the days of this being posted everyday are over. I'm going back to school on Wednesday so I'm not gonna have as much time to write as I want. It's so sad. Sorry but I think it's almost over. I don't know for sure. But I think so.**

 **Anyways, I did have this chapter written yesterday, but then I read it and I was like, what is this? It just kinda sucked. So I deleted it and rewrote it.**

 **Thank you to all who reviewed and let me do you guys a favor and answer you all in one...**

 **YES THE DELANCEY! Whichever one it might be. You'll find out.**

 **selizabethharrisburg: omg, I can't tell you how much that means to me. Honestly when people tell me I need to work on something I take it and I do. I try really hard to make the story flow and I'm trying so hard to not rush, and I'm sorry if the next chapter feels a little rushed. I went over it three times so I hope it doesn't feel that way, but let me know. Thank you so much for your reviews! They mean a lot!**

 **Alright, enjoy!**

Davey didn't know how fast he was going. They'd been driving for hours. No one had said a word. All of them were too busy thinking about the same thing. Is he okay? The question that they all desperately wished for an answer to. If they could even find him. Which they would. They had to.

They had been out of the city for a while. All that they could see was field. Nothing else. Davey took a quick glance around the vehicle. Jack's lips were pressed together in an angry pucker. His fingers tapped, anxiously on his bouncing leg. The boy was looking on the window, but Davey wasn't sure he was actually seeing anything. Crutchie sat right behind the drivers seat. He had silent tears running down his face and Katherine sat next to him, clutching his hand, looking straight ahead with worries of her own for the boy they all called a brother. Spot held a pocket knife in his hand. He twirled it around every few minutes as he looked around. Davey swore the boy had tears in his eyes. And Oscar and Morris sat in the back. Oscar was clutching onto his seatbelt so hard, his knuckles were turning white. And Morris couldn't sit still to save his life. So Davey drove faster, ignoring every road sign that told him not to.

After hours and hours of driving, a cabin came into view. Spot was out of the car before Davey had the chance to stop it. He was sprinting to the home. Jack was out of the car, only a split second afterwards. He chased down the boy as caught him right as he almost broke down the door.

"Stop!" He yelled, shoving the Brooklyn boy backwards. "Spot, stop! Ya can't just break in there without a plan!"

"Race is in there!" Spot argued, making another lunge for the door. But Jack grabbed him around the waist and ran him backwards as far as he could before he had to set him in the opening of the car door.

"And if you go in there with nothing, you could get a bullet in his head!" Jack screamed, shoving those words back in his friend's face. "We need a plan."

Crutchie looked around at his friends and then back to the cabin. "Any ideas?" He asked, hesitantly.

Davey sighed. He looked around. His eyes landed on the knife still twirling around in Spot's hand, then they drifted over to Katherine and the backpack she had on her back. He knew what kind of equipment she had inside. He nodded, stepping out of the car and leaned up against the doorframe. "Yeah," he sighed. "Yeah, I got an idea."

Drake pulled the boy inside, earning a yelp of surprise from the injured kid. "What the hell are you doing here, Morris?" The man demanded. "And what the hell happened to your arm?"

Morris shook his head. "We gotta get outta here!" He rushed out, making a move to get back to the door. But Drake grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him back.

"What are you talking about?" Drake yelled, poking Morris in the chest.

"Higgins!" Morris screamed, his voice angry and desperate. "Damn kid wasn't in the fire. The cops! They's arrestin' every guard ta find him!" Just as Morris was finished, sirens were heard in the distance. They both looked to the window in horror. Then Morris looked back to Drake. "They was shootin' and chasin' when I was tryin' ta get away," he explained. "Next thing I know, this happened!" He yelled, gesturing to his arm.

Drake groaned. "How'd they find me?" He asked, irritated. Then he looked over at Morris with wild eyes. "Did you lead them here?"

Morris shook his head. "I heard them say they was comin' for you next!" He defended, his hands up in front of his chest. Then he dropped his arms to his sides and gave Drake a helpless look. "They got Oscar..." he mumbled.

Drake growled and grabbed Morris by his good arm. He dragged him to the center of the cabin and moved the rug. As he opened up the door he growled, "Get down there. Don't say anything." So Morris did so. He walked down the stairs and heard Drake shut the hatch behind him, but when Morris looked back, Drake was gone. And the boy was glad for that. Because when he saw what was waiting at the bottom of those stairs, a mixture of emotions he couldn't control, surfaced in him. Relief, panic, anger, sorrow... guilt.

"Race..." he breathed as he walked to the bed. The boy was bound, several ropes wrapped around his body. He was drenched in sweat and he was shaking, uncontrollably. The tape over his mouth made sure the boy couldn't scream very loudly. If the boy could even make a sound at all. He was dressed, only in his boxers. The rest of his body was bare and vulnerable.

Morris moved forward as the kid didn't hear him. Race's eyes were closed. He looked to be sleeping. Though peaceful, it was not. Morris let tears slip from his eyes as he saw his friend that way. Race was one of the strongest boys he knew. He never took crap from anyone, not even him. When someone told him he was weak, he swung at them. When someone told him he was stupid, he'd laugh and shake his head before he shot back some sarcastic comment at them. When someone pushed him into a corner, he'd fight his way out. Morris never thought he'd ever see this kid like this. He never thought he'd see Race so... helpless. It was heartbreaking.

Morris took in a shaky breath before he slowly squatted down in front of his friend's face. He brought down the gentlest hand onto Race's cheek and he wasn't prepared for the flinch he got in response. The boy gasped under his touch and backed away as much as he could before he let out a pained cry. But as his eyes shot open, he saw his friend. He gave a confused look before he understood. He had a fever. He was very sick. He was hallucinating. He had to be.

"Race..." Morris repeated, cautiously replacing his hand on his friend's face. This time, the Italian boy leaned his face into the touch, praying it was real. "I'm so sorry, kid..." Morris breathed.

Seconds later, Drake opened the door again and rushed down the stairs. Morris shot to his feet and vigorously wiped away the tears. Race whimpered and watched his friend move away from him, wanting nothing more than for the older boy to wrap his arms around him and stop pretending to be something he's not.

Drake threw down an old blanket on the bed. "Alright," he said, he rested his hand on Race's leg, carelessly, making Race flinch out of the touch. Drake just grabbed at him with more force and pulled him down the bed by his leg, closer to him. The gambler cried out as Drake leaned over him and smacked his cheek. "Stay still!" He demanded, like he was speaking to a dog that was misbehaving. The boy whimpered in response but did not move. "We've got to get him rolled up and prepare to move him to a buddy of mine's place," he stated, speaking to Morris again.

Morris ground his teeth together as he watched his friend cower at the evil man. He cemented his feet to the ground, making sure he wasn't gonna lunge to protect the boy and give himself away in the process. So he looked over at Drake. "Why'd ya take him?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest, trying so hard to ignore Race's helpless look as the kid's blue eyes found him.

Drake just laughed, eying the kid on the bed, evilly. "Ya think I'm willing to let this pretty boy go?" He asked, suddenly placing his hand on his prey's upper thigh and giving it a rough squeeze, causing Race to try and scream out for help. Drake just gave him a cynical pout and pressed a harsh kiss to his chest. "No way in hell," he greedy man breathed onto the kid's skin.

Morris's fist was in such a tight ball, he couldn't be sure he wasn't drawing blood from his hand. "And... your buddy?" Morris asked, skeptically. "He'll hide us from the cops?"

Drake nodded and eyed his pet, hungrily. "I think I have someone who could persuade him," he spoke, suggestively smiling down at his, weakly struggling, captive. "He's always had a thing for tall blonds."

Morris looked down at the kid. The sweat, the shaking, the quickened breaths, "I think he's sick, Drake," he tried, but the man shook his head.

"He'll be fine. At least for the next few hours." The man pulled Race closer by the ropes around his thighs and the boy was too sick to squirm away. "We're gonna take him out the back, sneak around to my car."

Morris nodded. He moved his hand to hold his bleeding arm again, brushing his fingers over the wound, and he felt a small device drop into his hand from below the blood. He clutched it in his hand as he watched Race with careful eyes.

Oscar held his phone out in front of himself. An alarm sounded from it, as Jack held a bull horn in front of that, it created the illusion that there were black and whites on the way. Katherine sat next to them in the bushes out front, her phone up to her ear. She listened carefully as the other three boys sat in the minivan, waiting anxiously for something to happen.

When she called out, "I got it!" Jack sighed in relief. Then they heard actual sirens. Everything was gonna be okay. But a few minutes later, as the cars pulled up, Katherine heard something else. And it didn't need to be heard by the small device in her hand. Crutchie screamed at the same time that Oscar and Spot ran to the door, followed by cops yelling at them to stop. Jack wasn't far behind them.

Morris watched as Drake succeeded in laying the blanket out flatly on the bed. He roughly scooped Race up in his arms, smirking evilly as the boy whimpered in pure fear when he was cradled to his captors chest before he was dropped down on top of the blanket. Drake grabbed a fistful of Race's and pulled the kid's head up, kissing his neck once more. He groped the boy, making him sob and try to cry out for help in his weakened state. But Morris had had enough.

"Drake that's enough," he sighed, watching the man devour the boy. It made him sick go watch. All he wanted to do was scoop up Race in his arms and keep him there. Never let him go again. The poor kid was living through hell. But Drake just scoffed thinking that it was some kind of joke.

"Cmon, Delancey. Let's get him to my trunk." But Morris shook his head and pushed the man away when he tried to get back to Race. He stood there between them, defiantly.

"No!" Morris shouted. "I said that's enough." He stood his ground, glancing back at his barely conscious friend. He had to get him out of here. Fast.

Race blinked, trying to get his eyes to focus. He breathed hard and tried to calm his shaking body, but nothing worked. He was forced to sit and listen to what happened next.

Drake's face twisted into anger as he realized Morris wasn't joking. He saw the listening device the boy held in his hand when the boy unrolled his fist. "So that's it then," he sighed. He gave a bitter laugh and glanced at the two boys before he reached his hand into his belt loop and drew out his gun. "Big mistake, kid."

And that's when they heard the gun go off.

 **So, I don't know if a device like that actually exists. But that would be awesome. So let me just clear up the confusion that may be happening. They cut Morris's arm so they could hide a listening device in it. They didn't want it to be found like the wire on Jack.**

 **Anyways, make sure to check out my other fics. I started a new chapter of Working With What We Got so hopefully that'll be up within the next few days. But please make sure to go read some of my one-shots. Tell me what you think of those ones. Also, go check out my friend bexlynne's stories. They're fantastic!**

 **Any requests? Don't worry, I love them! Just leave a scene or something that you'd like to see and I'll make sure to start working on it! Thank you!**

 **As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change or what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Love ya guys!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Guys, I am so sorry. High school has been happening for three days and it's already sucking the life out of me. I'm so tired all the time and my mind doesn't function like it should anymore. It's awful. I hate public school.**

 **Anyways, I actually finished writing this chapter yesterday at around nine, however I decided to wait till today to post it because it's like my little celebration of surviving the first three days. I don't know about the rest of the year, but I survived this. ;) Today was senior sunrise. Ugh. I woke up before five to get there. I'm so freaking tired. But oh well. It was beautiful. And it was the start of my last year of being a kid. So it was also terrifying.**

 **Anyways...**

 **FuriedNight: I know. I love writing cliff hangers though. It means I'll get you guys to come back. And let's face it, I need friends. Haha just kidding... not really.**

 **Teeloganroryflan: Awww, you're so sweet. Sorry about Working With What We Got. I am working on it... with what I got...(I hate mysself...). I'm about half way through the chapter but, as I said, I'll be getting a lot busier so that one especially is gonna be harder to update. But it is my favorite one too. I love writing them as actual brothers. They're precious.**

 **sidenotes-from-satan: Aww I know. I would too. I love it. And omg thank you so much! It makes me happy that you say that, I wasn't even too sure I was gonna go through with it but it means a lot that you guys think I wrote it in really well. Thank you!**

 **Selizabethharrisburg: I'm so glad you liked it! As you've probably figured out, I love writing intense stories the more intense the chapter, the better it's written. At least that's what I try to do. And thanks for the tips! I will work on that! Good luck being a freshmen! Don't let those awful seniors tell you you don't belong there. You take over that damn school, hon!**

 **bexlynne: I know! I just wish I could jump through and save him on my own. But hey, I guess I could because I'm writing this awful story, right? Lol, just kidding. Love ya! Thanks for reviewing!**

 **Guys, I can't explain to you how much I adore your guys' reviews. I look forward to reading them every chapter I post. So if you've been following this story and reading it but you've never posted a review, please do. I love them! Even if you don't have an account, I would still love your feedback! Thank you!**

 **Alright guys, here's the honest truth. I wrote this chapter four times... and I still feel like it didn't quite all the way capture the emotions of these characters because honestly, this is too much emotion for even me to comprehend. So I'm sorry if it feels rushed or like it was lacking and if you think I should add something to the next chapters to make it feel more whole, let me know, I'll try my hardest.**

 **Enjoy!**

Oscar heard the gun go off. His whole world seemed to slow down. He heard Crutchie scream as he started running. Spot was right behind him and Jack joined in not far behind. The three boys were breathless as they made it into the house.

Crutchie made a move to follow his brother to Race. He felt his legs burning as his previous injuries made themselves known, but he didn't care. All he wanted was Race. But as he tried to push himself forward, he felt arms around him.

"Lemme go, Davey!" But Davey held fast to him, not letting him chase after the cops that were running in after Jack, Oscar and Spot.

"I'm sorry, Crutchie," Davey apologized, glancing up to Katherine who was talking with a cop, telling them she had something for them to hear. She had tears streaming down her face, and she was shaking, not knowing what was happening inside. "It's all gonna be okay."

"Race!" Jack screamed, trying desperately to find his brother. Looking around for any sign of him.

"Morris!" Oscar cried. Tears were streaming down his face. He frantically ran through the house. "Morris!" He called again, more desperate than before. Then he stepped on an old rug. The floor below him creaked and Oscar froze. He stepped on again and then off just to make sure he wasn't hearing things. "Over here!" he cried as he threw the rug out of his way. Spot and Jack were there within seconds.

Jack didn't let anyone else touch him as he yanked the door open. He forced himself down those stairs and only saw a boy, hyperventilating on a large bed. He was in his boxers and his pale skin was covered in sweat and cuts and bruises. Some were old, some were new, but they would all take too much time to fade. "Race!"

Race struggled, weakly, for the first time in hours. He squirmed as he heard the voice that he'd been longing to hear since day one. His head was too heavy to move and his eyes were empty and were trying to stay open as he just wanted Jack to grasp him in a tight hold and never let go. But he heard too many footsteps surrounding him. He heard Jack's cry of fright as they got closer to him and he sobbed, tensing and gasping as he was afraid of what was coming next.

"Stop!" Jack cried as men swarmed the room, guns drawn. They crowded the boy on the bed, grabbing for him, roughly as they tried to untie him. But as Jack tried to run to him, he was held back by two officers. "You don't understand!" the boy cried. "That's my brother! He needs me!" The tears were coming out fast now as he fought to get to the boy.

Spot stood back, silently watching with wide eyes as he held his knife, tightly in his hands. He watched as the men finally let Jack through and the boy sprinted to Race without a second thought. He wasn't far behind.

Race struggled hard as hands touched him. They turned him onto his stomach and he whimpered, waiting for it to happen again. Then suddenly it all stopped. He opened up his teary blue eyes and looked to the side, finding Jack sitting on the bed right next to him, reaching to run a hand through his damp, sweaty hair. Race melted under the touch, but his breaths still came in fast. And when something thin and cold brushed up against his burned arms as the ropes were sliced and thrown away, Race screamed into the gag.

Spot jumped back as his friend cried out. He gave Jack a look of confusion but then he saw it. He saw the sloppily wrapped arm that Race was weakly trying to pull in front of himself. The Brooklyn boy returned to his spot behind Race. His shaky hands were able to barely brush up against the bandage, earning a flinch from the boy. Spot only continued and began to unwrap it, seeing Jack wiping away Race's tears as the raw skin became fully visible.

Jack felt sick at what he saw. Race's arm was raw red. It had blisters running up and down it and the skin looked wet and sticky. There was puss oozing from the horrible wound. He looked back down at his friend's face as he rubbed the boy's cheek with his thumb and caressed the kid's face. The boy's eyes slid shut as he relaxed into the touch. But the Jack looked to the tape that trapped the kid's poor lips.

Race felt his brother's hand leave his face and his eyes shot open. But the next thing he knew, the tape over his mouth was being removed. He wanted to be able to spit the rag out if his mouth, but the poor boy was too weak to do it himself and Jack had to pull it out for him. As his legs were freed, he curled in on himself on the bed and gasped as he was lifted up, but immediately relaxed when he knew what was happening.

Jack pulled his brother onto his lap and began to rock him back and forth. The boy was shaking and Jack slipped out of his t-shirt and wrapped it around the boy who was curled in a tight ball. The boy's skin felt hot against his own and tears burned in Jack's eyes as the realization suddenly dawned on him that not only did Race have to be put through Drake's constant torment, but the boy was now sick. Sick to the point of his body, trembling, as it tried to fight off the infection. And it made Jack angry.

Race's eyes were wide as he looked at what was below the bed. Morris hadn't said a word since the door was open. On the ground, he could see his savior sobbing in the arms of his little brother. But that wasn't what caught Race's eye. The man that had ruined his innocence, the one that had dragged him down into hell and then broken him there, the man that had done so many awful, evil things to him, was laying on the ground, barely breathing, in a puddle of his own blood. His breaths came in even shorter gasps than before. He felt Jack's arms tighten around him and suddenly, Spot was in front of him.

"Don't look at him, Race, look at me," he instructed in a gentler tone than anyone had ever heard from the boy. "Just look at me, it's over now," he promised. Race's face was pressed up against Jack's chest and his bright blue eyes peered out at the man on the ground. That man may be dying, but the chains that he held Race in were still as tight as ever.

Spot began to sound desperate as Race's eyes would not leave the body on the ground. "Please, Race..." he begged. "Cmon, look at me."

Jack felt the tears streaming down his face as he held his friend. He cradled the boy's face against his chest with one hand and held the kid around the waist with the other. He rested his chin in the boy's messy hair as he rocked them both. "Shhh, Race..." he tried to calm with his own shaky voice. "It's okay. Close your eyes..."

It terrified them all that the blond boy had yet to say a word. Oscar and Morris managed to stand. As they made their way to Race, they blocked the dying man from view just as some men picked him up and carried him up the stairs. Morris wiped away his tears as he remembered the events that had lead them there...

 _"Big mistake, kid."_

 _Morris saw the gun, pointed at his own chest. He saw the man about to pull the trigger, but he moved faster. Fastened in his belt loop, his own pistol sat, waiting to be used. He pulled it out and fired, hitting the man in the left shoulder. The former bully heard Race shoot himself into a panic behind him but as the man dropped his gun and fell to the ground, his eyes widened._

 _"Oh my God..."_

 _Morris dropped to his knees beside the man in shock. He may have just become something he'd never wanted to be._

 _A murderer._

Morris reached out to Race to wipe away a stray tear from his cheek. The boy looked up at him, wide eyed. He let the older boy brush away the tear before he buried his face in Jack's bare chest. "I'm so sorry, Race..." the boy whispered as Race began sobbing.

Jack pressed a gentle kiss to the kid's head. "Cmon, kid..." he whispered into the boy's hair. "Talk ta us." He wasn't demanding. He was begging his brother to say something. "I lost ya once already, I can't do it again. Please say something, Racer." Race sobbed harder at his voice and carefully clung to him, letting his burned limb be cradled carefully by Spot. "I love ya, kid..."

Footsteps were heard on the stairs. At this point, Race was oblivious to anything except for the fact that Jack was holding him. But three people appeared in the room and everyone turned to them with tears in their eyes.

"Oh my God..." Davey breathed, astonished at the scene that he was met with. Race was there. He was breathing. He was breathing very quickly, however, as if he'd been submerged in water for too long and had just been able to come up for air.

Crutchie pushed past him and was able to crash down on the bed next to his friend. His crutch dropped to the ground as he sat on his knees next to his shaking brother. He looked up at Jack, who was silently sobbing as he held their friend. He slowly set down a shaky hand on Race's shoulder. The boy jumped and looked up from Jack's chest.

Race saw his young best friend and his breathing slowed down just a little bit. He saw the look on the boy's face. No doubt, Crutchie had though he was dead. So Race hiccuped in a breath as he carefully moved his burned arm, out of Spot's hold and grabbed Crutchie's hand in his, glad the kid's eyes were solely trained on his own instead of at the hotdog he now had for an arm.

"Race..." Crutchie choked out. Tears of joy made their way down his face. He clutched onto Race so tightly as he realized he was still here. Alive. And he was gonna make it.

Race gasped for air, trying to calm himself. He looked around at all the people standing over him. His friends were there. He wouldn't be hurt anymore. They wouldn't let him. He heard them whispering it would all be okay, and for the first time in days he was able to believe them.

Katherine took a good look around the room. She saw the blood stain on the ground and the stains on the bed from blood, sweat and she didn't want to know what else. Her eyes finally landed on a pair of pants that were thrown on the ground in the corner.

Jack looked up at his girlfriend when she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. She handed him the clothing and nodded as he took it, gratefully, looking up into her brown eyes with such a heart wrenching look. Then he leaned down to whisper in his broken friend's ear. "Hey... Race?" The boy's eyes shot over to him as he spoke like he'd just yelled at him. It broke Jack's heart. "Ya want ta get dressed?" He asked, gently, a small smile on his face despite the tears still running down his face.

Race nodded his head, vigorously. He hiccuped as he remembered he was in his underwear. He felt Jack carefully lay him down on the bed, and he sobbed as he realized that he was too weak to sit back up on his own.

Crutchie held up Race's torso as Jack slid the jeans back on him. He heard Race gasping as his injuries were brushed against, but he just held him still. He cradled Race to him before Jack finished buttoning his pants and held him up as he slid his own t-shirt over the boy, going shirtless himself.

As Race was settled back on Jack lap, Katherine spoke. "The ambulance is here." Her voice was small and shaky as she saw her strong willed friend so weak and upset.

Race clung to Jack with the little strength he had as he heard this. He shook as a wave of nausea hit him. He shook his head as Jack began to speak. "It's okay, Racer," he spoke gently. "They're gonna make you better. You're gonna be okay, but we's gotta get ya ta a hospital." But Race continued to shake his head.

He didn't want anyone but his brothers in that moment. He didn't want anyone else's hands on him at all. So he held fast to his big brother, not letting go for anything.

"Okay," Jack sighed. He scooped Race up in his arms like a baby and began to carry him up the stairs. The boy didn't do anything but hold onto him as he did so.

The group made it outside to the stretcher as they were running towards them. They tried to make a grab for Race but Jack held him out of their reach. "It's his arm. It's infected," he explained. "He won't let me go. I'm goin' with him." There was no question and the EMT's looked at each other before they reluctantly nodded and ushered him onto the stretcher. So Jack sat down on the thing as they placed it back in the ambulance.

"We'll meet ya there," Davey assured, holding onto Crutchie who only wanted to get into that ambulance too. Jack nodded and gave his little brother a sorry look as they shut the doors.

Race relaxed against Jack until they started working on his arm. He tensed when they touched it, but Jack ran a hand through his hair and kissed his head as they did so. "I got ya, kid," he promised. "I'm right here."

Race laid his head back on Jack's shoulder. He was breathing deeper now, but his eyes were only growing heavier. His body melted against Jack's as he started to drift off.

Jack was relieved as his brother finally started to fall into sleep. He gave him one last kiss on the temple before his eyes fell shut. But he did not expect to hear something slip from the boy's lips.

"L-love ya too... Jack..."

 **I just couldn't wait to write where Race started speaking again! They were so scared he was gonna go mute, it was awful! The poor things!**

 **As always, I'm a sucker for requests. I just got quite a few from a perfect reviewer of mine that I'll be working with very shortly so thank you FuriedNight for the requests! Any one else? Don't be shy. Feel free to PM me at any point. I'd love to hear from you guys!**

 **As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change and what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Love ya babes!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Hello guys! I've missed you! I love posting, especially when I know so many people are reading and reviewing, so thank you very very much!**

 **bexlynne: Thank you so much! I just thought he shouldn't just be okay with shooting someone. I'm so glad you liked it!**

 **sidenotes-from-satan: OMG, no one has ever gone through so much trouble for me to reread a chapter. Wow. I'm glad you liked it! And I definitely know how you feel, hon. Thank you! (I'm still laughing about this review, btw. It's amazing.)**

 **queenlmno: Haha omg you poor thing. I deserved it. I know. And it doesn't offend me. Frankly, it just makes me laugh that you guys are so into this story it's gaining these awesome emotions from you. Thank you so much!!**

 **selizabethharrisburg: OMG I'm so glad you liked it so much it actually made you choke up! I hope this chapter lives up to that. I worked very hard on it and I'm hoping I captured the emotions running through these characters. Please continue to tell me what I need to work on and what I should keep doing the same. And thanks for that tip about Morris's pistol. For some reason I had thought it was previously mentioned but then I realized I had only mentioned Spot's knife. So thanks for pointing that out. I'll try to be better about that. And thank you for al your encouragement. You're amazing! Thank you so much, love!**

 **Teeloganroryflan: Thank you so much!**

 **Fanz4life: Thank you so much! And let it be known that I am actually trying very hard. I'm gonna start working on a companion to The New Kid. It's gonna be a one-shot. I'm hoping it'll be fluffy but my mind is dark apparently. But I'll try, I swear.**

 **Alright, I hope this lives up to your guys' expectations. It took me a while to write and it was actually a request from selizabethharrisburg, so thank you so much for this idea. I so so hope I capture this well. :) I really did try my hardest.**

 **Enjoy!**

Crutchie tried to yank himself from Davey's grip as the ambulance rode off, sirens blaring and lights blinding anyone in their path. He took a few steps, wish he could run to it and climb inside. But he felt more arms encircle him. He didn't care whose they were. He just collapsed into them and sobbed.

Spot held the gimp boy tightly as he cried. He was shocked when Crutchie buried his head in the crook of his neck, but he didn't move away. He didn't put in his tough guy demeanor as the boy sobbed onto him, trying to catch his breath. Spot just held him, knowing exactly how he was feeling. Tears of his own slipped down his face as he watched the ambulance speed down the road to the nearest hospital that was miles away.

Katherine was frantic. "I have the proof you need!" She all but threw her phone at the man who was bombarding her with ridiculous questions. Asking if she was alright. As if. "I have him saying he kidnapped a young boy on this recording!" The officer took the device and called out to her as she ran to her friends. But she wasn't listening. She just wanted to make sure they were all okay. Then her eyes caught sight of the second ambulance that was there.

Oscar sat with his brother in the van they'd arrived in, waiting for he others to pile in to follow the boy they all just wanted to wrap up in a tight hug right then. But then they saw more EMTs rushing into the house with a stretcher. When he saw who they were bringing out, he shot to his feet. "What the hell are you doing?!" he screamed at them. The evil man they brought out was awake. His eyes were dazed and unfocused as he struggled for air. And the angry boy didn't give a damn.

One of the medics blocked him from the man, catching him as he tried to lunge for the stretcher, not allowing him near their dying patient. "This man is incredibly unstable and I need you to stand back so we can do our job." Oscar wasn't listening.

"That bastard took him. He almost killed him!" Oscar vaguely felt his brother's arms around his waist as he made a jump for Drake. "He doesn't deserve this!" His brown eyes were swimming as he fought against his brother's hold to get to the monster that had taken their friend and tortured him to no end. As Katherine ran in front of him, her arms out in defense as he tried to hurt the man responsible for making them think one of his only friends was dead.

"Oscar stop!" Morris cried as he shoved his baby brother behind him. He turned to face his seething brother as the boy tried to make a run for the man they'd begun moving again. "Stop it!" he pushed the younger boy back and Oscar broke. He began sobbing as they tried to save a man that didn't deserve saving. A man who could take an innocent, bright eyed, good, loving little boy and squeeze the light right out of him.

"Race..." Oscar dropped to his knees. His arms were around himself. Morris lowered himself down to the boy and took him into his arms.

"I know, Os..." he mumbled as the boy laid his head on his shoulder. "I know."

Davey shook his head as he watched the EMTs try and keep Drake alive. But instead of yelling at them, he just ran back to his car and started the thing up.

Spot's head shot over to the van as he heard the engine start. Without any warning to the sobbing boy in his arms, he picked him up and ran him to the thing, yelling at Davey to go as Morris forced Oscar into the back and Katherine ran to the passenger seat. And then they were off. Nothing on their mind but the boy that they couldn't lose again.

 _It was dark and freezing in the room where his nightmares had begun to control him. He shivered as he yanked on the cuffs that held him to the bars, but it was useless. The poor boy let himself slip onto the ground, his hands held behind his head as he faced the other end of the cell. It was like he was thrown into a lion's den. Like he was waiting for his own death to wake up and kill him, slowly, while he screamed for help that wouldn't come._

 _There he was. The handsome man that the kid hadn't thought he'd be so terrified of, sleeping. The man he thought was gonna lead him outside, to free him. The handsome man that had tricked him into coming here. Tricked him into thinking he'd get to see his brothers again. His body lay flat on the ground across from the boy. He had a pleasureful look on his features and that made the little kid nervous._

 _All Race could do was stay silent. He was freezing as he knew the man had taken all of his clothes. He wanted to struggle, to scream, to attempt to do something that would get him out of there. He was supposed to be released that day. Instead, he'd been taken advantage of. Humiliated. Completely objectified. And he wasn't getting out. He knew it. And he was terrified of waking the man. Of repeating what he'd just lived through, praying it would be the only time it ever happened._

 _Then suddenly, it changed. He was on the floor of the same prison. He was in too much pain to move. The man was on top of him. He was pressing long, lingering kisses to his bare tummy, moving down the boy's body, making the kid want to squirm and cry out. But he knew it wouldn't help. It would only make it worse._

 _He'd called one of the guards something he shouldn't have. It was a stupid mistake. His stupid mouth never did what his brain wanted it to. He was tired and hungry and it slipped out. It was an accident. But the handsome man didn't care. He said it was to teach him to respect them. To watch his mouth. And that they couldn't release him until he learned to control his lips._

 _He'd been dragged back there. Literally. He'd been kicking and screaming as he was thrown into the small room. But before he was stripped of his clothes, he'd been beaten to the point of exhaustion. He hadn't been able to fight as it happened. He tried clawing at the walls and the ground to keep himself from being drawn back into the strong man. His nails were chipped and broken, bleeding even. The man didn't care. He only held the kid down, forcing him to give up as he pulled the boy to him, breathing deeply against his back as he drifted off to sleep for a bit, leaving the blond boy to whimper and sniffle as he was trapped in his enemies embrace._

 _Then it faded away and Race found himself in chains once again. They held his arms above his head, forcing him to stand up on his toes in order to stay upright as he was hung from a hook on the ceiling. There was a rag in his mouth, forcing his lips to spread open, but smothering the boy's ability to make sound. He'd tried to scream this time. The man didn't like that so much._

 _This time he'd beaten up on another kid for food. He'd been starving. He had bruises everywhere and it had all been for not. Before he could even try to get to the stale bread or the tap water, he'd been grabbed around the waist and lifted off of his feet. He sobbed as he knew who it was that had him. He kicked and he cried but the man was silent as he took Race down to that room. That cell. That prison that he'd be in for the rest of his life._

 _Drake's hands traveled all over his beaten body. They caressed his hips and grasped at his neck when he tried to move away. They hurt him and then teased him and then humiliated him time and time again._

 _It didn't stop there. He saw it happen a hundred more times, a hundred different ways for reasons he didn't understand. Reasons he never would understand. He felt himself growing weaker with every phase he saw. He felt himself losing the battle._

 _The man was everywhere. Race could hear the whispers of, "Relax, baby. I won't hurt you," and, "Stay still, Race!" followed by a loud, echoing smack and a scream. He couldn't get out. He was trapped. His mind seemed to be racing, scenes from his past filling up in his brain like a wildfire. In everything he saw, his brothers were no where to be found and there was always Drake. He always had him in his grasp. And Race couldn't get away..._

 _He never would get away..._

Race's eyes shot open and all he heard was noise. It seemed like millions of different sounds filled his ears. And he didn't recognize any of them. As he tried to sit up, pain shot through him and he was held down by arms that wrapped around him from behind.

 _No no no no no no no no_

Race fought against the hold, his ears not hearing a voice that might calm him down, instead all he heard was loud noises that made no sense to him at all. His blue eyes darted around the room in a wild panic. He saw too many different things. He saw needles poking into his skin and bags of liquid that were there to possibly hurt him. So he struggled and cried as he frantically looked around.

 _Get out. Get out, Higgins. Get out!_

Jack didn't know what to do. He felt himself begin to shake as the boy in his arms did. Race fought against his tight hold, but Jack knew he needed to stay still. He didn't want the poor kid to hurt himself more.

Race couldn't breathe. He felt himself trying to heave in breaths, causing his entire body to begin to jerk up and down as he gasped for a proper amount of air. He could hear Drake's voice in his head, commanding him to do things he couldn't.

"Lemme go!" _What's going on?_ Race screamed as there were hands all over him. So many people trying to move him somewhere without his consent. "Stop!" he cried, desperately. "Lemme out!"

Jack felt himself begin to hyperventilate as the EMTs grabbed for his friend. He grasped him tighter. "Don't!" the boy begged. "Don't take him away from me!" he pleaded, as Race writhed around on his lap. "Don't take him away from me!" He felt tears pricking at his eyes as the boy didn't seem to understand where he was or what was going on. And memories of Race being taken away from him resurfaced in his head, throwing him backwards, into a panic.

Race didn't know how long he had until he passed out or suffocated from lack of air. He gasped as a familiar voice met his ears. "Race!" He couldn't place it. Too many things passed through his head, none made any sense. Then he heard it again. "Racetrack!" It sounded distant. Like the person was miles away. _Jack? That's not possible._

"Sir, you need to calm down. Release him-" one of the workers tried as they grasped onto Race, trying to tear him from the grip.

"Leave him alone!" Jack demanded, but they kept coming. They kept trying to get the boy out of his brother's grasp.

 _I'm dying. I'm gonna have a heart attack and die._ It became clear to Race that he was going insane. Jack wasn't there. He couldn't be there. Drake had him. But in the small hope he held, he weakly called out for the older boy. "Jack!"

Jack heard his brother weakly call for him as the EMTs held him back. They ripped Race from him and held them at opposite sides of the stretcher. "Lemme go!" Jack ordered. "He needs me!"

"Calm down, Mr. Kelly, you'll only make it worse!"

 _I think I'm gonna puke._ Race fought against the arms and hands that tried to hold him down. He felt someone touch his arm and a crisp pain shot through him, causing him to scream. _What the hell is going on?_ Thoughts weren't coherent. Nothing was making any sense. His brain said to get out but his body couldn't move anymore. _Higgins, get out!_ But he couldn't. So he gasped for air as he was eaten alive by panic. "Ja-ack..." the boy choked out, praying his friend would just help him, make his head stop reeling and his heart stop racing. _I'm going insane._

Jack struggled in the hold of EMTs. "Race!" He screamed again. "Racetrack Higgins, look at me!"

 _Look at who? Jack? I'm not with Jack... I can't be... Oh God, where am I? Who's holding onto me? Why can't I breathe?_

"Race, cmon, kid. I know you can hear me." Jack struggled against the grip, but as he was on the verge of a breakdown, he was unable to break free. "Open your eyes, Race."

 _My eyes? They're closed? No they ain't... is that why everything is so dark?_ Race couldn't keep in his sobs as he tried to obey his friend's orders. _Why won't my eyes open?! I can't move! Why can't I move?!_

"You can do it, kid. Open your eyes and look at me."

 _I can't... I can't do it..._

Jack let his own tears fall. His friend had no idea that the words in his head had actually come out of his mouth this time. "Yes you can, kid. I know you can," he swore. "You're one of the strongest guys I know."

 _Why is it so loud? Why can't I do anything?_ Race sucked in a pained breath. "I think I'm dyin', Jack..."

Jack felt himself trembling as Race tried to regain control. Control he'd lost and had no idea how to grasp again. "O-open your eyes, little brother... I'm right here..."

Race didn't know how. He didn't know where he'd gained the strength or what thought had passed through his mind to make his eyes open. But he would never be more grateful in his entire life. He saw Jack's eyes, his green, calming, protective eyes looking straight back at him. The tear stains on his cheeks didn't matter as their eyes locked and Race sobbed.

"What's happenin' ta me, Jack?" the poor boy whimpered. "I can't breathe..." _The hell's wrong with you, ya idiot? This isn't real. Jack can't save you. Stop shaking like that!_

Jack's heart broke. "Race, look at my eyes. Don't look away alright?" When Race nodded, Jack ripped himself from the grip of a shocked medic. He carefully crawled over to the shaking boy.

Race did as he was told. His eyes did not falter once as he kept his terrified, confused gaze on his best friend as he got closer to him. Race found, he still couldn't take in a proper breath. His thoughts still didn't make sense, he still couldn't move, but he was able to relax a bit as Jack's arms encircled him. "Breathe, Race... you ain't dyin'. You're gonna be okay."

"I can't breathe... I can't stop shakin'..." the kid whined. Jack took him back into his arms and rocked him slowly. Race could feel his friend shaking underneath him too.

Jack sniffled and held Race so closely, their bodies practically had to move together. He tried to think of something, anything to calm the boy's frantic mind. So he held out his left hand in front of his brother's face, his palm facing the boy, making sure he did it slowly, as to not frighten the kid. "Do ya see my hand, kid?" Jack let out a sigh of relief as Race nodded, unevenly, still shaking and gasping for air. The older boy ignored the EMTs as they tried get Race to lay down in order to calm down. He shrugged of their hands and they stood back, glaring at him for not allowing them to do their job. "Can ya put your hand on mine?"

 _What?_ Race could clearly see that Jack's hands were shaking. _I'm about to fall down and die, and he wants me to try and move my hand? I'm gonna have a damn heart attack... why doesn't this make any sense?_ Race looked down at his right hand. He was shaking, uncontrollably, as he tried to lift it off of the stretcher. _Where are we? Please, God can I go home now? Is it over yet?_

"Cmon, Higgins," Jack encouraged. "You can do it."

Race hiccuped in a shallow breath and painfully lifted his hand up to meet the one in front of his face. He found his mind focusing on the palm that was in front of his eyes. As his hand found the other, he felt himself start to calm down a little bit more. He stretched out his fingers to meet Jack's. The older boy's hand was only slightly bigger than his.

"There ya go, kid..." Jack smiled, breathing in deeper himself. "Can you tell me how many people are in the room?"

 _Stop it, Jack! I can't... I don't..._ "F-four?" he stuttered out, ignoring his own mind while he tried to grab hold of his surroundings.

Jack ran a hand through the boy curly blond hair, trying not to have a meltdown. He took in a shaky breath and nodded. "That's good, Race." He smiled and kissed the boy on the head, lovingly. "You ain't dyin'. I won't let ya. Understand?"

Race let out a shaky breath and nodded, sniffling as the vehicle pulled to a stop. "Mr. Kelly, you need to let go." The boy closed his eyes again, trying to breathe through his nose. He tried to remain calm as he grasped onto Jack's hand for dear life, not liking the idea of his friend not being with him.

"I ain't lettin' him go." Jack clutched onto Race's hand, their fingers intwined. "I'm goin' with him," he vowed.

 _Calm down. You're fine. Jack's here. You're okay._ Race melted into his big brother's embrace, not letting go of his hand.

"You can't go in there with him, sir. We need to use a rape kit on him."

Race's eyes shot open at that. "Ja-ack..." the boy whined, clutching Jack's palm tighter with his good hand and began to shake harder. "Don't let them do it..." _More hands, more touching, more screaming..._ Race shook his head at himself. _No more! No more. No more, no more, no more..._ It was all he could think. _No more._

"It'll be okay, kid," Jack promised. "I'm going with him." The EMTs tried to argue but he held Race as tight as he could, letting the younger boy turn his face into his chest and try to breathe, try to think straight. "I'm the only one he trusts in here and I'm going with him."

The medics sighed. They knew it was true. So they glanced at each other as the doors were open. "As you wish, Mr. Kelly."

 **Oh my goodness, when will it end? I'm sorry. Anyways, thank you selizabethharrisburg for the panic attack request. I actually have suffered through a few panic attacks of my own. They suck. However, this is the first time I've ever written one like this. Jack's panic attack at the beginning of this story wasn't nearly as threatening as this one and I hope I captured that. Panic attacks are terrifying things and I don't even know if Jack's reaction to this is near scared enough. But I gave it my best shot. They are difficult to write man. So I'm giving a shout out to Thepopcornpup for writing a fic about one of our boys having a panic attack. It's called Garbage Hangin' Over My Head. If you haven't read it, go do it. They captured it perfectly and I give them high props for that.**

 **Thank you guys for continuing to support this story! Let me remind you that if I haven't posted in a while and you're dying for an update, just shoot me a PM or review again, telling me to drop whatever I'm doing and sit down and write. I write for you guys. Thanks! And remember that I'm a sucker for requests. I have a lot write now and I can't wait to finish them and get them posted! I'd love some more!**

 **As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change or what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Love ya, kids! :)**


	21. Chapter 21

**Wow. It's been a while. Sorry. I've been occupied with so many different stories. I've got some new ones I'm working on too. I can't wait to start posting them! I'm so excited! Tell me if you want to hear more about those!**

 **Anyways, sorry for the long wait. For some reason I just got stuck on this one and I had some help coming up with ideas so thank you FuriedNight and bexlynne for your help! Love you guys!**

 **bexlynne: Aww! Thank you so much! It makes me feel pretty good that that scene actually made you tears up! It's so sad and heartbreaking and I had way too much fun writing it. /. I'm evil. And I got a request to write Race's first words. I love it. And now I'm thinking about writing the whole story of Race being arrested and how he wasn't afraid of Drake at first. Thoughts?**

 **Guest: Thank you so much! I worked very hard on it and I'm glad you liked it! :)**

 **Teeloganroryflan: You're perfect, as per usual. ;) Thank you so much!**

 **NASA: Thank you so much! I'm sorry for the long wait! I hope this will make you feel better about life. It made me feel a little better. ;)**

 **Fanz4life: Hey hon! I always look forward to your reviews and I promise I'll read every single one of them! You gave me a very great idea for some Jatherine and I can't wait to write it! And few free to just keep reminding me about it! It's really good and I'm so excited about it! Thank you so much! (You're review for Castle on a Hill actually made me so freaking happy! I am so stoked you loved it!)**

 **sidenotes-from-satan: Haha I'm laughing! That's awesome! But I am so sorry for the late update! I hope you started to become whole again! Love you so much! Thank you for the review!**

 **Selizabethharrisburg: I can't tell you how happy it makes me when you tell me that I did a great job. It literally just makes me so freaking happy and then every chapter I get so self-conscious because I want you to approve so bad. I am so happy you love this story so much! You're amazing! I am so happy that you liked the way I wrote the last chapter and all the panic and helplessness came across the way it did. I am definitely using your idea as a sequel. But I can tell you, Drake will probably make one more appearance (possibly more) in this story. So thank you! And I also hope to write Race's first words story (possibly the whole story) thank you so much for you constant reviews and ideas! They are so greatly appreciated, just like you! Love ya!**

 **queenlmno: OMG I am so sorry! But I understand how you feel. I'm angry at Drake too. Haha I hope you are having a great time at college. Take a break every now and again. Thanks for the advice btw. I won't be doing that. I hope this chapter lets you breathe a little bit :). Just a little though. Thank you so much!**

 **Alright, I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter. ;)**

Race was holding onto him, weakly, as they were rushed through the hospital. Jack felt him sobbing against his bare chest. Race still couldn't calm down. He was still clutching onto his hand for dear life and Jack found himself crying. The poor kid didn't deserve this. None of it. He took his free hand and cradled Race's face against his chest.

"Shush, Race. I've got ya." The younger boy didn't respond.

"We've gotta get him onto the bed so we can check out his arm again before we try the rape kit," one of the nurses explained. Jack nodded.

"Race?" Race made a small noise, letting Jack know he'd heard him. "We gotta move ya. I'm gonna put ya on a different bed, alright?"

Race blinked back more tears and tried, in vain, to take a proper breath. He clutched onto Jack's hand tighter and pressed himself further into him. "Don't leave me, Jack," he pleaded, fearing that thought more than anything else.

Jack's heart was shattering. "I would neva' leave ya, kid..." he vowed, kissing the boy's temple and closing his eyes for a moment, simply taking in the kid's presence, reminding himself that his brother was still there. Still breathing. He sighed as he let go of his friend's hand. Then he took a deep breath and slipped off the stretcher, Race still cradled, gently in his arms. It wasn't until he set the boy down on the bed that the pain rushed through him.

Jack cried out as he set his brother down. Race grabbed at his arm as he slowly fell to his knees, clutching his side. "Jack?!" the boy screamed in a panic as his friend dropped to the ground.

Jack closed his eyes tight as white hot pain shot through his whole body. He grabbed at his side and breathed hard as he realized where the pain must be coming from. He could barely make out anything as they tried to pull him up, onto the stretcher that Race had previously occupied. But the seventeen year old shook his head. "No!" he cried out as he grabbed for his friend. "No! Race! Don't take him away!" Jack fought and fought and screamed when he moved, his side exploding in agonizing pain.

Stitch walked into the room. Extra help had been requested. He didn't know why, he just knew it was urgent. And he acted quickly at the mess he saw in front of him.

"Jack!" He ran forward, shoving away the people that didn't understand. He did. He understood. But he also understood the dangers of letting Jack out of the hospital too early. So he slid down next to the boy on his knees. "Calm down, buddy, it's Stitch. It just me."

"What's happenin'?" Race's high pitched voice made Stitch's head shoot up. The boy was terrified. He didn't even look at the nurse. His eyes were trained, solely, on Jack.

"Race, it'll be okay..." The nurse had too many things rushing through his mind at once. He was trying to calm the panicked kid on the bed and trying to get Jack to understand how dangeroud his situation was.

"Race!" Jack's cry was broken and pained and Stitch could tell this would be difficult. No way Jack would leave Race like that. The kid was suffering from a panic attack. Stitch could see it.

"Jack we need to check out your wound! It could be bad, kid!" But the boy was not letting go of his previously deceased friend. His grip was tight and Race held onto him like a lifeline.

"I ain't leavin' him!" Jack was one of the stubbornest kids Stitch had ever met. He held tight to his friend. And Stitch could only shake his head, sadly as he knew what he had to do.

"Sedate him."

Spot sprinted through the hospital. His friends were behind him. He didn't know how far and he didn't care. All he knew was, his friend was hurt. And he needed him. So he ran as fast as he could to the room he knew Race must have been in. And when he got there, he didn't even think before he was acting.

Stitch had Jack collapsing on his chest. There was a needle poking into his friend's arm but the strike leader still clutched onto Race's hand in a death grip. The boy on the bed was in a panic. He held onto Jack so tight but the medics were trying to pull him away.

Spot heard people trying to run in behind him but he couldn't wait for them. He sprinted in and jumped onto the bed on his knees, right behind his friend. "Race..." The boy was hyperventilating. He didn't even hear him. So Spot did the only thing he could. He wrapped his arms around the boy he'd been calling his best friend for years and held him so tight, not knowing what to expect.

Race held onto Jack so tight. All he wanted was for his brother to hold him. To wrap his arms around him and tell him everything was alright. But, as he realized his brother was somehow dying on the ground, he screamed out for him and held onto him like nothing else mattered. And when he felt strong arms wrap around him, he just became more frantic. He tried to struggle out of the grip, to get away from the hurt and torture, but nothing was happening. "No! Please, no! Not again!" He screamed and struggled, but in his feverish, weakened, panicked state, he was stuck. "Jack!"

It broke Spot's heart. And Spot Conlon's heart was not one that was easily broken. He held tight to his friend and he felt the tears streaming down his face. But he held his friend down. He pinned his arms at his sides and made sure there was no way he could run, no matter how much it pained him to see the younger boy so helpless and trapped. But he started whispering, intensely, in the kid's ear. "Hey... hey!" He felt Race jump. He knew it had to happen. It was the only way to calm him down. "Breathe, kid... please just breathe..."

Crutchie limped into the room and froze at what he saw. Jack was on the ground, being carefully maneuvered onto the stretcher next to him. He was clutching his stained red side and grasping onto Race's arm with force. He saw Race sobbing in Spot's arms, his cries for Jack dying into small whimpers as they finally got the two boys to release their holds on each other. He heard Jack scream as they started pushing him away.

Jack cried. He reached out for his friend. He couldn't do it. Not again. He was too scared he'd wake up and Race wouldn't be there anymore. His oldest friend would be gone _again_. And he just couldn't do it. But it seemed, he didn't have a choice.

Crutchie heard his friends rush in behind him and he felt Davey grab for his arm again, trying to hold him back again and just watch what was happening. But the boy had had enough of being protected when it wasn't him who needed it. He ripped his arm out of Davey's grip and made it in between his brothers.

He watched as Jack was set on the stretcher. He was sobbing. He was calling out for Race. Then his eyes caught those of the nurse who had befriended them. Stitch shook his head at him. Jack needed medical attention. Fast. So as they rolled his panicking brother away, he grabbed his other brother's hand and held onto it, tight, as Spot spoke to him, trying to calm him down.

Spot held his friend against his chest. He rocked him back and forth and carefully held him around his thin waist. But Race was still crying, even when the gimp grasped onto his hand. He wouldn't relax against him. "Cmon, Race... it's okay." He pressed a kiss to the boy's temple. He didn't care that the Delanceys were staring or that Crutchie gave him a shocked look. He just kept on whispering. "Tony it's me. I gotcha. It's me, it's Charlie..."

 _Charlie_. It felt like years since Race had heard that name. And it may have been. Suddenly he realized that the arms around him weren't there to hurt him. "Ch... Charlie?"

Spot felt like he could breathe again when Race actually started talking to him. "Yeah... yeah, kid. It's Charlie. I'm right here. You're safe now."

Davey watched, awkwardly, from the doorway. He saw Morris hold Oscar back. They all knew Race didn't need anyone else trying to talk to him right then, no matter how badly they all wanted to. He looked over and caught a glimpse of Katherine running down the hall, asking what was happening to Jack. It was truly heartbreaking. But he took a deep breath and motioned for the two former bullies to follow him out of the room. And they left the three boys in peace.

"Ch-Charlie..." Crutchie sniffled as he heard Race speaking. He was talking. He would be okay. He had to be okay. "J-Jack-"

"Shshsh, kid... I know... it'll be okay," he felt Race relaxing into him. The kid's back finally settled against his chest as he gave up fighting.

"We got you, Race..." Crutchie wiped away his tears with his free hand. He watched his friend's chest rise and fall so quickly, he was worried the older boy wasn't getting enough air. "It's okay... you're okay..."

Race clutched onto the hand that was in his so tight. His mind was reeling and his heart was racing but whoever was holding onto him was there to protect him. He knew it. So he closed his eyes and tried to breathe. "Charlie?" he called out, weakly, trying to make sure his friend was still there.

Spot felt his heart clench when the boy in his arms called him that. But he just held him tighter. "Yeah, kid... I'm right here. I ain't gonna leave."

Race sniffled and twisted in the embrace, burying his face in the older boy's shirt. "R... rape kit... don't want it..." It was all he could manage as he tried to catch his breath.

Crutchie sighed and took his brother's hand in between his. "Race... they need ta do it... they need evidence."

Spot felt Race stubbornly shake his head. It was like his sixteen year old friend was retreating back to an age where things were as simple as yes and no. And Spot didn't know how to get him to understand. He knew his little brother didn't want people touching him. He knew it wasn't ideal. But he also knew, Drake was still alive. And the man needed to put away. Locked up like the animal he was. And this kit had to be the way to do it. To prove what happened.

"I know ya don't want to, kid..." The boy started sobbing again. He knew he had to. He knew he didn't have a choice. The poor kid must've been sick of not having a choice. But Spot just kept rocking him back and forth. "It'll be alright..."

Race let out a shaky breath. "I don't wanna be alone..." He couldn't do it. Not again. He just wanted his brothers.

Crutchie locked eyes with Spot. They could see the tears in each other's eyes. And Spot started to talk again, hoping to calm his friend. His brother. "Hey... what did I tell ya 'bout bein' alone, huh?" He tried to smile when he remembered that night. It felt so long ago. So long ago when the boy in his arms had only been six.

Race was still having trouble taking a deep breath. But he still tried to speak as he knew what his friend was talking about. "I-I... 'm not... I-I ain't... 'lone..." he gasped out.

"That's right, Higgins. Ya ain't. You've got friends," Spot promised before he pressed another kiss to Race's head. "Ya rememba' all those times, kid? You'd wake up screamin' and I'd hold ya and tell you ta stop bein' so stupid."

Crutchie actually let out a little laugh at that when he saw a ghost of a smile grace his friend's lips. But it didn't last for very long before he was sobbing again and his face was pressed back into Spot's chest. "You ain't alone, Tony. I got you. Crutchie's right here... and Jack sure as hell ain't goin' no where..."

Race sniffled. He slowly opened up his crystal blue eyes and glanced around. "Don't want... touch..."

Crutchie ran a hand through Race's hair. He watched a shiver go down the boy's spine. But his older brother relaxed under his hand. "They just want to put Drake away fer good, Race. He can't hurt ya no more. You're safe, Race..." he assured.

Race squinted his eyes in confusion. "...D-Drake..." The name made him want to throw up. It made him feel light headed and weak. Helpless... "He's dead..." He had to be. Race saw him. He saw the blood. The way he couldn't move. But he started shaking at the thought of the man still being alive.

Spot sighed. He figured the kid wouldn't know. But he just pulled the boy closer. He held him tight. "Race... cmon kid, calm down. He ain't gonna hurt ya no more. I'm right here." Crutchie nodded and Spot could tell he felt bad for bringing it up.

"Racetrack!" Race's eyes shot open at the voice. That beautiful, perfect, wonderful voice that he'd missed so dearly. He didn't move from the arms that surrounded him and he clung tighter to the hand that held his.

"Medda!" She was beautiful. He missed her. She was the closest thing he had to a mother. The one who took care of him. He felt the tears welling up in his eyes at the sight of her. She was crying. And he didn't like seeing her cry. Especially not because of him.

Medda ran into the room. She reached for the boy. "Oh, baby... when they called... I thought-" she cut herself off. She couldn't think it again. Never again. She put her hands on both sides of his face. He was burning up. His skin was clammy and he was trembling. She pushed the hair away from his face and wiped away his tears. "They said there was an explosion... baby..."

Race sobbed and grabbed onto one of her hands. "Medda... Charlie... Crutch..." He let Medda press kisses to his cheeks and his forehead. He held onto his brothers and to his guardian.

Medda gave Spot a pleading look. The tears streaming down her face only made the teen's heart ache. So he nodded. He loosened his hold on his little brother. He let Medda sit next to them and she scooped up the boy and she held him in her lap. He cried. He sobbed hard until his eyes started to droop shut.

Race tried to fight for consciousness. If he closed his eyes, he was gonna wake up back in that room. Back in those arms that controlled him like a puppet. But then he heard an innocent voice that calmed him. "It's okay, Race... we ain't goin' no where." And he felt lighter. He snuggled up closer to the woman that held him and let his world slowly fade to black.

"Momma..."

Medda's heart stopped when he choked out that word. She could feel him struggling to let go and fell into sleep. But she regained control long enough to press one more kiss to his head and whisper in his ear. "It's okay, baby... sleep now. You're safe."

And Race believed her. _Safe_.

 **I love Miss Medda Larkin.**

 **So a while ago, I told you guys I would write other characters reacting to Race's "death". Is that still something you would like to see? And if so, only with Romeo, Crutchie and Medda? Those were the requests. Just let me know!**

 **This story will have another sequel. Court case. It'll be intense. Interested?**

 **I am thinking about writing the whole story of Race being dragged to the Refuge for the first time and meeting Drake for the first time, then going mute. What do you guys think?**

 **Guys, life has been hectic lately. I just think I need to say I need a hug from Ben right about now. But anyways...**

 **As always, thanks for reading! Let me know what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change or what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Love ya kids!**


	22. Chapter 22

**It's been too long! I'm so sorry for torturing you guys with this story! I will never forget about it, but I'm still trying to keep up with my other stories too, so a lots happening at once. Anyways...**

 **bexlynne: I am so glad you loved it! I'm sorry for breaking your heart so many times, but it's just the way this story goes. And I love writing Spot like this. He cares. And I'm super excited about Race's first time in the Refuge fic. It's gonna be terrible and awesome. Thank you so much for everything you do for me friend!**

 **FuriedNight: Aww I love it when that happens! I can't wait for the sequel either! It'll be interesting for sure! Thank you so much!**

 **BroadwayIsMyPurposeInLife: I'm glad you want it becaus it'll be coming soon (hopefully). Thank you for the review!**

 **unofficialfansie: Aww thank you so much! It means a lot!**

 **sidenotes-from-satan: I will never forget about this story. And I'm sorry for ruining your life. But, hey, you're the one who keeps coming back ;). Thank you for coming back! Love you!**

 **Fanz4life: Aww you are so welcome! You are apart of this fandom. I love your reviews and your ideas. They're really good! And I haven't forgotten about them. If you recall the last one you gave me, it took me a little bit, but I wrote it. And I'm super excited to write the Medda one. It'll be awesome! Thank you so much! You're amazing!**

 **queenlmno: I'm sorry. Did it ruin your day? I hope your life is getting at least a little bit easier. But I'm sorry. Okay, so I don't know if you're asking who Stitch is in my story or in the musical. Stitch is an OC of mine. He's not in the musical but I see him as the Jack before Jack. Like the "old leader of the lodging house" kinda thing. That's just how I see him. He was introduced in the last fic of this series called "Just Breathe". He's a nurse that has been a friend to them since he met them. I hope that clears it up for you! Also, I'm so sorry about college. I hope your getting at least a little bit of sleep. Good luck!**

 **Selizabethharrisburg: OMG I'm so happy you loved it!! You literally pointed out all the lines that made that chapter for me! They were the ones I wanted to be the most powerful. Also, the callback to the previous chapter where Race is saying "his head was reeling and his heart was racing," that was an accident at first. I actually had no clue I had written it and when I reread it later I was like "I'm a freakin' genius." I was so proud of myself and I'm so glad you caught that! Also, I understand why you don't like that line but at the time it made sense because it was from Jack's POV and he had thought his brother was dead. But I get that. Thank you so much for everything, friend! Love ya!**

 **falling-rose-petals-30: I am so sorry for everything of mine that you've read. It's all super evil. But thank you so much for all the reviews! It means so much!**

 **Again, so sorry for the long wait. I just have so many stories I'm working on and it was hard to keep up with all of them. But here it is. Enjoy!**

Romeo didn't know what was happening. Davey showed up at his foster house with tears in his eyes, telling him Jack wanted to see him. Now they were at the hospital, standing in front of a room that wasn't familiar to the boy at all. It wasn't Jack's room, that's for sure.

Davey looked at the poor kid with a small smile on his face. He hadn't known how to explain it to the boy. He'd been crying for days, not talking to many people. They hadn't been able to hold him and tell him it was all gonna be okay. But it was. It was gonna be okay.

Davey kneeled down next to the boy who was staring blankly at the door and held out his hand. Romeo took it. "Listen Romeo... there's someone in this room who needs it to be really quiet. He doesn't like loud noises right now. Can you be quiet for him?"

The boy looked at him, confused. He didn't understand. But he nodded anyway. "I can do it."

So the older boy smiled and stood to his feet, still holding the kids hand in his. Davey nodded and took a breath before gently knocking on the door.

The thing creaked open. Romeo saw Spot peak his head out the door and look around until their eyes met. While the twelve year old was still somewhat intimidated by Spot, he saw the excited gleam in his eyes. And suddenly he wanted to get through that door more than anything. He wanted something to smile about again.

"Hey kid," Spot smiled at him. The king of Brooklyn had never felt so soft in his life. But he didn't care at that moment. "I need ya ta be real careful... can ya do that fer me?" Romeo nodded, wiping away the tears in his eyes. Spot sounded too much like him. Too much like his lost big brother. But he needed to know what all the smiles were about. So he just nodded. "Okay, cmon..."

Race lay on the bed, tears dried to his cheeks and his hair a mess on his head. His arm was neatly wrapped up and he couldn't find the strength to move it. He stared at the ceiling, trying to convince himself it was all okay while Spot was at the door, talking to someone in the hallway. He couldn't hear what was being said. He didn't really care. His mind was filled to the brim with memories that he would live with forever. And he didn't want it.

Jack was still gone. Race still didn't know what was happening. No one would tell him. Medda had, no doubt, gone to check on him, and Race had been sitting in his white prison with Spot for only a few minutes before there was a small knock on the door. He wanted Spot to come back. He wanted Spot to hold him again and tell him to go back to sleep. But when he saw who came through the door, he sat up quick, swinging his legs over the side of the bed, wincing as he did so. He made sure the machines he'd been hooked up to weren't disturbed as he moved, but, in all honestly, he wouldn't care in the least.

Romeo kept wiping away the tears that continued to flow down his cheeks. He didn't know why everyone seemed happier. Maybe not happy, but happier. When he stepped into the room, he felt Davey's hands on his shoulders as he gently pushed him forward and Spot walked over to one side of the room. Romeo looked around the whole room before he saw him.

Race felt himself getting nervous when Romeo froze. The little boy stopped in his tracks, Davey bumping into him slightly when he tried to continue pushing him forward. He struggled to find something to say to the kid. He found he couldn't.

Romeo felt his eyes widen. He saw Spot smiling a little when he froze in place. He felt like he couldn't move. He had to be dreaming. But he wasn't. In his dreams, Race never cried. Race was always the fun loving, goofy, sarcastic older brother that Romeo would love for the rest of his life. This was different. This was real.

"... Race?" It was barely a whisper.

Race could feel himself smile for the first time in days. The way his little brother said his name made him feel like something he never thought he'd never be able to feel again. He felt human. He felt like he wasn't just an object. He was this boy's older brother and he'd been missed and the smile that broke out on his face made even the great Spot Conlon tear up. "Romeo..."

The little boy let out a sob and ripped himself away from Davey. He launched himself at his big brother. "Race!"

Race opened up his arms just in time to catch the young boy as he ran into him. After that, the embrace was tight and welcoming and loving and Race couldn't stop crying. He couldn't let go. And he knew Romeo couldn't either, so he buried his in the boy's shoulder as the kid did the same.

Romeo felt himself shaking in Race's arms. He held on so tight. He couldn't let go. Couldn't find out it wasn't real. It had to be real. Race was crying against him. He felt the kisses that were pressed to his cheek and the hand that grasped at his hair, lovingly, clearly not wanting to let go anytime soon. And Romeo was okay with that.

"I'm so sorry, kid... I'm so so sorry..." Race didn't know why he was apologizing exactly. All he knew was that Romeo was sobbing. Romeo was shaking. Romeo was _scared_. And he felt guilty for it.

Romeo let Race lift him up, settling him on his lap on he bed without either of their holds adjusting one bit. The twelve year old wrapped his legs around Race's waist and continued to cry, ignoring everything else around him. All he could do was hold on.

Spot watched the reunion with tears glistening in his eyes. He hadn't seen that priceless smile in forever. It may have faded as his best friend sniffled, holding back tears, but he wouldn't ever forget it. When he caught Davey looking at him, he straightened himself up, back to his intimidating stature, wiping at his eyes when Davey smirked at him. He just glared. Then he turned back to the two crying brothers that held onto each other for dear life. "Okay, kid... Race needs ta rest. He's still pretty sick."

Romeo pulled away from Race. He tried to catch his breath as he saw his brother's face again. Race had tears streaming down his cheeks but he managed a small smile when the boy looked at him. Romeo felt his big brother's hands find his cheeks and wipe away his tears. All he could do was do the same, letting his small, shaky fingers clear the tears from Race's face. And when Race laughed, Romeo felt whole again.

"I love ya, kid..." Race whispered out, pressing a kiss to the little boy's forehead. But Romeo didn't want to let go. So he threw himself back at his brother, holding onto him tight.

"I don't wanna leave, Race..." And Race understood. He couldn't quite say he wanted the boy to leave either. So he held onto the kid tight.

"Okay." It was all Race could say before he twisted on the bed and laid back down slowly, allowing his kid brother to lay on his stomach on top of him while he ran a constant hand through his hair, smoothing it back away from his forehead before it fell back and he started again.

Romeo rested his cheek on his brother's chest. "Please don't eva' do that again, Race..."

Race felt his eyes water up and he couldn't quite stop a few more tears from spilling over as he answered genuinely, "Neva'."

"The poor thing." Drake could hear the voices. He'd been awake for a while know and happened to be lucky enough to catch the gossiping nurses as they checked machines that were surely around him. He didn't know how long it had been since he'd gotten there, he didn't know _how_ he'd gotten there... and he didn't care. All he did was pretend he was still asleep as he listened intently to the female nurses around him.

"He won't do it?" Another asked, concerned.

"No. His friends are trying to tell him he should, but he won't. I've never seen a teenage boy so terrified in my life." Drake almost smirked. He had. And he wanted to see it again. God, everything he would do to trap his pet in his arms again... He wanted to watch him struggle and hear him sobbing, screaming, _begging_.

"His friend keeps asking for him too. These boys have been through a lot and we're not even supposed to tell them they're just down the hall from each other..."

Drake ignored the rest of their conversation. He had to get up. The man was angry. Furious. Enraged. He had him. He had his boy in his reach, there with him to stay. In the Refuge he'd made a deal with Snyder and the boy was put in jeopardy when the man ordered the fire. Then, he'd had him. His baby was with him, in his house, his forever, until that damned kid found them. And Drake knew that stupid Spider had something to do with it too. He was the only one to know where that house was.

He didn't open his eyes until he heard the door shut. He was alone in his room, the way he wanted it. Immediately, he tried to sit up and quickly realized two things; One, his right wrist was handcuffed to the side of the bed, and two, his left shoulder hurt like nothing he'd ever experienced in his life. He screamed and his body fell back on the bed.

"Damn kid!" the man cursed the boy who shot him as the memory hit him. Drake pulled at the cuffs. He wasn't supposed to be in cuffs. He was supposed to have Race. Race was supposed to be in cuffs. Drake wanted his pet back. And when Drake wanted something, he wasn't gonna stop until he got it. So he looked around. There was some sort of pin on the table that sat next to the bed. One of those gossiping nurses must have left it there by mistake. And Drake grabbed it, crying out at the pain that shot through his body at the use of his left arm. But he continued anyways.

"I'm comin' for you, baby..."

 _"Romeo, breathe... breathe kid."_

 _"Twenty four hours to deliver to me the money..."_

 _"A little chloroform will be the least of your problems..."_

 _"It's bad, Kelly... It's real bad."_

 _"He's gonna kill them!"_

 _"Th-they'll shoot Race..."_

 _"Not again! I can't do it again!"_

 _"I'm s-so-o s-sorry, Crutch..."_

 _"I've got you, Race..."_

 _"I need you to accept that you're no longer in control..."_

 _"Jack stop it!... He's gone!"_

 _"Jack!"_

Jack's head hurt. Too many voices and screams echoed in his mind, forcing him awake. When he felt some sort of mask on his face, his eyes shot open. That's when someone grabbed his wrist and he began to panic before he heard a gentle voice.

"Jack, calm down! You're safe..." It was the voice of an angel. Jack was sure of it.

"Ace?"

Katherine felt Jack grabbing for her hand. So she clutched onto it, holding back her tears and watching her boyfriend try and understand what was happening. His beautiful green eyes were wide and full of panic.

"Race..." Jack chocked out. "Crutchie..." He had so many questions. Where were they? Where were his brothers? Where they okay?

"Shush, baby..." Medda rubbed Katherine's back. They could hardly understand what Jack was saying. He had a breathing mask on. He looked so weak. The two women could barely handle it. "David is keeping a lot of the kids in the waiting room. They won't allow more than a few people in here at a time," Medda explained when her baby's teary eyes met hers. "Crutchie is keepin' 'em all calm. They were mostly sleepin' when I last checked on 'em." She left out the part about the tears that stained their cheeks. The way they held each other, afraid they would lose each other.

"It's alright, Jack..." Katherine soothed. She rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb. "Everything's okay."

Jack blinked. Why did everything hurt? Where was Race? Was he okay? All he could remember was the ambulance ride over. Then a terrifying thought hit him. What if it had been nothing more than a stupid dream? "Race?"

"He's okay, Jack. You and the others got him out." Medda's words came out so fast, making sure the boy didn't panic. Then she sighed. "After you got him to the hospital, you tore through the stitching. They had to patch you back up, honey."

Katherine watched as her boy's body seemed to completely sink into the mattress at Medda's voice. She ran a sweet hand through his hair and leaned down to kiss his forehead. "Go back to sleep, Jack... we're not going anywhere."

Jack nodded and his eyes wandered over to his girl's. He saw the tears glistening in her perfect eyes. And he gave her hand a squeeze and then carefully lifted up their hands to wipe away her tears. "Love you..."

Katherine smiled when his eyes started to slide shut again, allowing him to fall back into a peaceful sleep. "I love you too, Jack Kelly."

Crutchie sat in a chair, his face held up by his hand that cradled his cheek. All of his brothers were asleep. They still had no idea. Spot and Davey and him had agreed to keep it that way until Race had had a proper night's sleep. The only exception had been little Romeo, who Spot had convinced them that Race needed to see. It had been over an hour since Romeo had been lead back there.

He wanted to be with Jack and Race right now. Oh how he longed for the nights that felt like years ago, when he would be sandwiched in between them. They would keep him warm and protect him from unknown dangers of the world. Now it was his turn to watch out for them and he was stuck in a waiting room with too many thoughts in his head.

He was unsettled by the fact that Drake was in the same building as them. It made him want to be near Race more. Race and Jack, both. He wasn't some little kid. He was their little brother. He wanted to protect them. And Race didn't even know that the man that had broken him was so close.

Crutchie sat up straight and looked around at all of his brothers. The waiting room wasn't very big. They took up the whole thing. Davey had been afraid some nurses would kick them out to allow others a seat. Crutchie knew no one was about to leave. After all, they were almost all dead asleep, arms around each other in protective manners. Well, everyone save for Morris and Oscar who sat across from him, whispering quietly to each other.

He could see the way Morris was shaking ever so slightly. The poor guy must've been really shaken up. But all Crutchie seemed to be able to do at the moment was watch and offer a gentle smile when they saw him, before they were back to holding each other.

Morris let Oscar lean into him. "He'll be fine, Ozzie..." Morris assured. "Race'll be just fine. Calm down." Morris's voice shook. He was still having trouble pushing pause on the scene running through his mind.

 _Drake pulled the gun..._

 _Morris took one glance back at the boy on the bed before he grabbed his..._

 _The shot fired._

 _Then there was blood... so much blood._

So when Oscar buried his face in his chest, Morris let the tears stream down his face. "It'll be okay... it'll be okay..."

Crutchie heard the conversation. All he wanted to do was get everyone back there with Jack and Race. They deserved to be together. But for now, all he could do was wait for the chaos he never saw coming.

 **I am so sorry.**

 **Anyways, I really hope you guys are enjoying this story, even though it's super evil. I have a plan for this story. You guys wanted to see other characters reactions to Race's death, so I'll be working on that one, then I'll start posting the fic about Race's first time in the Refuge and then I'll work on the sequel. That's kinda my plan so far.**

 **Any more requests? I'd love to hear them. It's always fun for me to mess with ideas and such. ;) thank you!**

 **Thank you Selizabethharrisburg for your idea! I messed with it a little bit, but it'll come into play a lot more in the next chapter! I love it!**

 **Don't quote me on this, but I believe there will be two more chapters of this story. Be prepared.**

 **Please make sure to go check out my other fics! I updated Sacrifices a while back and I would love some more reviews for the last chapter of it! Thank you guys so much for everything!**

 **As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change or what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Love ya babes!**


	23. Chapter 23

**I'm very excited to be updating this before the one month mark. I'm so so sorry for the wait. I've been writing a lot of things. I'm so excited for you guys to read them! After I complete this one and The Accidental Backstory, I'll be uploading a new fic. It's a companion to No One But Me. I'm excited to read that one! But it's not the only story I've been working on. There's one I'm writinh with a little more... magic to it.**

 **Anyways...**

 **bexlynne: Haha you know me better than to think I'll have chapters completely full of fluff and warm reunions. Thank you so much for the review! I love you so much!**

 **FuriedNight: IM JEALOUS. But that's amazing. Also, I would like to let you know, your other two or three requests have definitely not been forgotten. I'm gonna be busy this month but I hope to eat started on them. Sorry for the wait!**

 **Teeloganroryflan: Thank you so much!**

 **unofficialfansie: I do remember that! Look at you! Going from a first review to an awesome writer! I love it. I'm so happy you like this story. I work hard on it. Thank you so much!**

 **Fanz4life: You're amazing. I'm so happy you like this fic and the Medda one! Thank you so so much!**

 **selizabethharrisburg: Thank you so much! The entire Romeo seen shattered my heart to write! I loved that scene. I love it all so much. It's bad. I'm so happy that I did well from Drake's perspective. I hope I live up to that in this chapter. For some reason I was having a harder time with this one. I hope I did well with your request. Thank you for that because I loved it! I really hope you like this chapter.**

 **queenlmno: Yeah I'm sorry college sucks. It's okay. Now you have this! I'm so glad you like this and I absolutely love reading your reactions. They make me laugh every time because... well... I'm evil. Thank you so much!**

 **falling-rose-pedals-30: Thank you so much!**

 **Alright... here we go again...**

Romeo sat quietly at the top of the bed that his brother lay on. Race's head was in his lap. The little boy's hand was combing through his friend's blond curls as he peacefully slept. The kid watched him, fearing that if he looked away Race would disappear. Fearing he'd be woken up from a wonderful dream.

Romeo found himself calming at the motion of his hands running through and over his brother's hair. He watched as it was gently pulled away from the older boy's forehead and then filed back through his fingers to meet the pale skin again. Then he repeated the process, as he'd known Race to do for him whenever he was scared or hurting.

He sat alone in the room with his resting brother. Davey had left a few minutes ago, forcing Spot out of the room. He claimed that Race was sleeping and there was no need for Spot to sit there for hours just to watch his chest rise and fall. Spot had protested. He had argued that if Race were to have a nightmare or wake up in a panic, he needed him. But somehow, Davey has managed to get Spot to take a well deserved break.

The small romantic found himself wondering what had happened to Race. The older boy had been holding it together earlier, when he'd been cradling him close to his chest and telling him everything was alright, but Romeo knew Race. He knew when Race was hiding how scared he really was. Even now, as Race was sleeping, he could hear the whimpers that would slip through his lips. But Romeo kept running hands through his blond locks, calming the sixteen year old down as he slept and slipped out of whatever dream he'd been dreaming.

Romeo leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to Race's head. Then he sat up, watching over one of the boys he loved with all his little heart.

 _Race was confused. He could recall many emotions. He remembered the anxiety, the anticipation, the sorrow, the pain... the pure fear. But for the life of him, he couldn't place why it had been there._

 _He was with his brothers. They were at Jacobi's. He felt like he couldn't move. It was unusual for him. He saw his brothers, laughing and smiling at him. He wanted to mess with them. He wanted to pick up the littles and play poker with Albert and Specs. But his body seemed to be glued in place._

 _Race glanced to his right. Crutchie was there. He was smiling at him. There was something different about the boy. Race couldn't place it. At least, not until Jack walked up. Not until Jack walked up to them and ruffled Race's hair before he walked to Crutchie, wanting to hug the boy._

 _Race watched Crutchie in amazement as the boy stood. He watched the boy stand on two legs. The was no crutch around him at all. And Race found himself smiling. Suddenly he was able to stand and embrace his two brothers._

 _"Where ya been, Racer?" Jack's voice was followed by an odd echo._

 _Had he been somewhere? He couldn't remember. How had he gotten there?_

 _"I... I don't know..."_

 _It didn't matter. He let his brothers surround him. Even little Romeo was grabbing at his waist, wanting to hold onto him so tight. The he noticed something odd. He found that none of them were hurt in anyway. No scars, no bruises, no painful memories. Just them. Just their family..._

Crutchie glanced up at Spot when he was forced into the room. He smiled as Davey pushed him through the door. He hadn't seen Spot since the older boy had forced him into the waiting room to get a little shut eye. That had been hours ago.

Spot was clearly irritated. "He's gonna wake up, Dave. Jackie-boy ain't there ta calm him down and that kid won't know what ta do!"

David rolled his eyes and blocked the door, crossing his arms over his chest, trying to convey how Spot did not intimidate him any more. And Crutchie glanced around the room. Many boys were still half asleep on the ground. The few that were fully conscious were looking up in confusion, not understanding what the two were arguing about.

"He will be there after you take a break," Davey stated, matter-of-factly. "I'll leave the door open. That way, if he starts panickin', you can hear him."

Crutchie watched as Spot fixed Davey with a hard glare. But the argument seemed to cease as Spot gave in. Spot took a seat in a chair next to the crippled boy. Crutchie smiled at him. And Spot rolled his eyes as he sat, slumped in the chair and kicked his feet up on the table in front of them. He crossed his strong arms over his chest and scowled. He hated following orders. Everyone knew it. But it couldn't be helped. Spot needed rest before he was even more ruthless and angry than usual.

Morris glanced over at Davey who smiled at him. He felt himself beginning to get over the shock of what he'd done. Oscar was slouched against him. The younger boy was practically asleep. The two had been calming some of the boys when they woke, asking for Jack. Some even asking for Race. It was killing them that they couldn't just tell them that Race was down the hall. He was alive. But they knew that if they did, that room would be crowded in seconds and the traumatized boy wouldn't be able to handle so many people and so much noise.

Davey slid down and took a seat next to the door frame. He leaned his head back against the wall, letting his eyes slip shut. It had been a long few days. That was the moment he could finally sit down and rest. Little did he know, that moment wouldn't last as long as he'd hoped.

Jack's room was almost silent. Katherine watched over her boyfriend's still form. She watched his chest rise and fall. She watched his eyes stare at nothing, focusing and then lose all signs of consciousness. He was under medication. Ever since he'd learned his brothers were alright, he'd been in and out of it.

Medda was dozing in the corner. She had wanted to go check on Race, but Davey had stopped by to tell her that her boy was asleep. She didn't want to disturb him. He needed the rest. While she wanted to hold him in her arms for the rest of time, she knew he was in good hands. She knew he was safe.

Katherine smiled as she felt a squeeze of her hand. Her eyes found the green ones that looked up at her. Jack was smiling from under the breathing mask. He brought her hand up over his heart and held it tight. The girl didn't know what was going on in his head, but she found herself laughing at his boyish charm.

"Good morning, Mr. Kelly. Are you with me?" She wasn't sure if it was actually him or the drugs that were making him look at her like that.

Jack nodded to her. He wanted to talk to her but, as he discovered earlier, he wasn't allowed to remove the breathing mask before getting it cleared by a doctor. And he wanted to remove it so badly.

Katherine watched her boy lift up his other arm. He started tapping on the mask on his face. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Jack Kelly, you know what Stitch and Bones said. It's there to help you." But Jack shook his head. He wanted it off. So Katherine sighed. "Baby, you are going to be the death of me." And she reluctantly pressed the call button.

Minutes later, Bones strolled into the room. He looked to be taking his time, as if he'd known what this call had been about. He shut the door, making sure not to disturb the woman asleep in the chair in the corner.

"What seems to be the problem, Mr. Kelly?" He laughed as Jack rolled his eyes. "Okay, buddy. Settle down. I think your strong enough that we can take the mask off. Don't go doing nothing stupid, ya hear?"

And Jack sighed in relief as the man stepped closer to remove the thing from his face.

Romeo watched his brother sleep in the silence. His breaths were normal and he seemed to be getting a decent amount of sleep. The boy was happy. His older brother didn't seem to be in any distress. And then the door opened.

The boy looked up quick, never ceasing his movements through Race's hair. To his relief, it was only a nurse. Though, it was a man he'd never seen before. But he was dressed in scrubs and wore a mask, hiding his face. Romeo assumed it was just a check-in. And Race was fine. There shouldn't have been a problem.

"Hello, little one..."

Something about the way the man said that made little Romeo a bit nervous. "Hi..." he replied, hesitantly. He shifted a little bit, not sure what was happening.

Even from beneath the mask, Romeo could see that the man was smiling. Something about it gave the twelve-year-old pause. He was extremely uncomfortable all of the sudden.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to step outside. I need to take a look at your friend."

The man glanced down at Race. So did Romeo. He didn't want to leave his brother in the presence of this man alone. The man made him feel odd and nervous. Jack wouldn't have left. Neither would Spot.

 _Race glanced around. The happiness and joy that had been around him seemed to droop a little bit. He felt tense all of the sudden and didn't know why. It was like he was in the presence of someone that he knew. Someone he didn't like._

 _He could see Jack across from him. The look in his eye told Race he had the same feeling. It wasn't a very good one. But for the moment, everything was fine._

 _But moments can't last forever._

"I... I don't wanna leave him... I'll be quiet..." Romeo didn't know what else he could say. He wanted to be with Race. He didn't like the idea of leaving the room. But the man shook his head.

"I'm sorry, little one, but the doctors told me not to have anyone in here while I check on his arm."

Romeo didn't like this. He had to leave. He knew the man wasn't going to let him stay. But he wasn't too keen on leaving Race in there without anyone else knowing.

"You'll be quick?" The boy looked down at his brother's peaceful face. He felt guilty. He didn't want to leave.

The man nodded and Romeo did not miss the way his dark eyes sparkled when he thought the boy was about to leave. "It'll only be a couple minutes. I'll get you when I'm done. Why don't you go sit with your friends, huh?"

Romeo sniffled. He glanced down at Race again. He dropped a soft kiss on his big brother's head. Then he slowly slipped out from under him. He cautiously walked around the shaggy haired man and made it to the door. With one last, heartbreaking glance back in Race's direction, Romeo walked away, an unsteady feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Drake smiled like a mad man. He shut the door, glad he'd been able to lose the kid, knowing taking more than one would be harder than just taking his pet. He was fine with Race. Just Race would do nicely. He locked the door and turned back to the sleeping boy on the bed, who was lightly tossing and turning. Drake was ready to grab him and go.

 _The peace ended in seconds. Race blinked and Jacobi's was dark. His brothers were being thrown into a panic and Jack was sitting, trying to grasp onto the situation._

 _Race felt something wrap around his waist. A grip that was cold and harsh. He struggled but could not get free. His arms were pinned to his sides and all of his brothers seemed to freeze when they saw him._

 _His screams were silenced. He couldn't speak. He looked to Jack for help but the older boy didn't move to him. In fact, Jack ushered all the boys out and gave Race a heartbreaking glance before running after them. And that's when Race began to panic._

 _"Aww looks like it's just me and you, baby."_

 _Race felt everything resurface. The anxiety, the anticipation, the sorrow, the pain... the pure fear. Everything came back with an excruciating pang through his body. His head hurt as he struggled. He couldn't think straight. All he could do was try and fight._

 _Then everything was dark. All Race could see was Drake circling him like a predator ready to devour its prey. Race knew he must've looked pathetic. He couldn't even fight. He was in ropes that kept him standing, though his entire body wanted to give out with fear. He could feel the restraints, tight around his body, never going to loosen their grip on him._

 _"Don't fight me, little one..."_

 _It's all Race could do as Drake started biting at his neck, sucking on his skin, harshly. He wanted out. He tried to beg. He tried to do anything. But he was trapped. Forever stuck with the maniac that encased him for fun..._

Race forced himself awake, breathing hard and sitting up fast, not quite understanding it had all been a dream. Not realizing it hadn't been real. He clutched at his throat, feeling choked. He felt like he couldn't take in a proper amount of air. And when he moved his burned arm, he realized how sore it was. He realized that it was difficult to maneuver.

The blue eyed boy tried to grasp onto reality. It wasn't easy. He grabbed for the bar on the side of the bed, holding onto it so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Even paler than his panicked face.

 _"It'll be okay, kid..."_ Jack's soothing words echoed in Race's mind as he tried to prevent another useless attack. He could only vaguely remember the first one. He could only barely remember the hand that he clutched onto and the words that were whispered into his ears.

Race let himself sink back onto the mattress, still holding tightly to the borders of his bed and still gasping for oxygen. "Sp... Spot?" he called weakly, expecting an immediate brush through his hair or soothing flow of words in his ear. Surely he wasn't alone. The boys wouldn't allow that.

And then Race heard a chuckle. It was cold and maniacal. It was familiar and all too well-known. And suddenly, he wished beyond everything that he was alone.

Drake watched his pet gasp out for air on the bed. And when he started to laugh, those perfect blue eyes found him. And the boy was frozen on the spot, clearly hoping that it was all still a dream. And then the mask was pulled off of Drake's face. In fact, the man slowly threw the scrubs off, revealing that he was dressed in his earlier clothes. The blood stained shirt and all.

Drake took a step forward to the boy who had gone silent for a moment. The boy didn't dare move and it brought Drake great pleasure. The man sat down on the bed, next to the kid and played with the silver ring on his pinky, watching his stunned baby try to understand where he was and what was happening.

"Hello, Racetrack... I missed you, baby..." Drake's smile only widened when Race whimpered and tried to cower away from him the best he could.

"N-no..." Drake could see the boy's arm move up suddenly, hoping to make it to the emergency button. But, even as injured as he was, Drake was faster. He grabbed Race's burned arm from over the bed and pinned it down to the mattress, doing the same with the kid's other wrist. The kid whined and whimpered. The man smirked as he climbed onto the bed, letting himself hover over the perfect boy, his knees tight beside the kid's hips and his face hovering inches from the teen's.

Race's hands were pinned up next to his ears. His hands were balled into fists as he struggled weakly against Drake. The painkillers and medicines were taking their toll. Race was in no shape to fight back. So all he could do was gasp and try to cry for help.

"Jack?!" The boy hoped it was just another dream. He prayed it was just another nightmare. But nothing could ever be that simple. "Spot!" All of the memories resurfaced in his head. He could remember every moment when he was trapped, humiliated.. helpless. He was an object in the eyes of a man he should have run from from the very start.

Drake smiled when Race started to scream. "You know my rules about screaming, Race." The man eyed Race's lips. They were almost too perfect. His mouth was slightly parted as he panted and cried out, wanting someone to come safe him from having to struggle away from his captor. But Drake could've watched the boy struggle all day. He was a beautiful sight.

Before anything could stop him, Drake's lips were on top of the boy's. The screams were muffled into a forced kiss that Drake was loving every second of. The man laughed into the boy's mouth as he continued to struggle. When Drake finally pulled away, Race could only whimper and let his tears start to fall.

"Lemme go..." Race sobbed out, pathetically. Drake loved the way his baby begged. He loved the way his eyes were stricken with fear and the way his hips moved against his knees. He loved the way Race's body was desperate to get away and get out. He loved the way his pet cried.

Drake grinned. "Oh baby... I'm gonna take you away from here..."

"No..." Race shook his head and tried to rip his wrists from the man's grip. But the man nodded, eagerly.

"Yes! I'm gonna take you to a little house out in the woods... no one'll be able to hear us there." Drake moved Race's wrists above the boy's blond hair. He pinned them both tightly to the bed, using his other hand to trace Race's jawline and then his lips.

"Someone's gonna see you! Ya won't get me out!" Race was trying everything. He felt himself beginning to shake as Drake's free hand traveled down his chest. "Ya can't do this! Drake, let me go! Please!" He was panicking. He couldn't tug his wrists from the crazy man's grip. All he could do was plead with him.

Drake smiled as his hand traveled further down his captive. The boy's breaths were starting to pick up even more. "Shhhhh... be quiet, Race... we wouldn't want anyone to hear us..." The man laughed when he grabbed the boy and all Race could do was scream.

What they failed to notice was the frantic little boy outside the door, watching through the side windows, witnessing the whole scene with eyes full of shock and panic before he scampered down the hall, to his friends.

Jack sat up in his bed. The mask was long gone and he was finally able to breathe on his own and speak to the girl sitting next to him. Medda was awake. She sat up, flipping through a magazine in the corner, occasionally glancing up at the two kids who were flirting with each other.

That's how they were when they heard the screams.

Jack's eyes shot to the door. He made a move to get up when a hand was on his chest.

"Katherine, that's Race!"

Katherine gave her boyfriend a sorry look. "He's probably just having a nightmare, Jack. He's been through a lot." It was the only thing she could think of. But then another scream was heard before it was abruptly cut off.

Jack shook his head as Medda stood up, quick. There was chaos in the halls. "There's a dangerous man loose in the building! We have to go on lockdown!"

That was it. Jack was pushing through the two women and, despite the pain running through his body, he sprinted to the room that held his little brother.

Spot's head shot up when the cries were heard. He might've been asleep. He didn't care at the moment. His eyes took a quick glance around the room and he caught sight of other boys, sitting up, confused at the sound they were hearing. That was when Romeo was running into the room.

"Spot!" The boy found the Brooklyn king in seconds, sprinting up to him with a frantic look on his face. The kid looked terrified. "I-I didn't wanna leave him!" The poor kid was completely out of breath. "I tried t-ta go back in b-but the door was locked!"

Spot stood up quick and put his hands on the boy's shoulders. "Slow down, kid." Spot's voice was calm, yet urgent, not understanding what the hell was happening and feeling very out of control. It was a feeling that Spot hated more than anything. "Whats goin' on? What happened?"

"A man's in there with Race! He's on top a' him!" Spot's heart sank. His whole body shook as the anger resurfaced in him and all the fear he held of losing his best friend came back with it.

Romeo had tears streaming down his face. He was shaking too. And all the boys stood to their feet, questions spilling out of their mouths about the boy they had all thought was gone for good.

Spot was running- more like flying- to get back to the room. A trail of Manhattan boys were behind him. They all saw Jack get to the door first, banging on it with clenched fists.

"Open the door, ya sick bastard!"

Race gasped when he heard the voice he'd been craving. He screamed for Jack, begging him to break down the door and safe him in a panicked language that no one could understand. Then Drake started to squeeze his wrists tight. The boy's eyes were wide as Drake's face became full of anger and rage. "Please... just let me go..."

Drake smiled at the helpless plea of his pet. He gripped the boy's wrists tighter. The man was running high on adrenaline. He just held the kid down more, watching him struggle as the boys banged on the door, screaming for him to get off of their friend. He didn't. He didn't think there was anything anyone could do for him to let this precious kid go. "Shush baby... it'll all be over soon..." Drake started to suck on Race's neck, pulled and pressing his lips against the warm skin, loving the way his captive moaned and whined and screamed, pleading with him to get off.

Race struggled the best he could. He wasn't as strong as the man on top of him. Not even in his weakened state. And the boy watched as Drake pulled something out of his pocket.

A pair of handcuffs.

Jack continued to throw his entire body against the door as the cries behind the door became muffled and even more desperate. Spot was trying too. Both of them threw their fists against the thing, willing the solid wood to give way and let them in. It wouldn't.

Spot saw the tears on Jack's face. They were streaming down his cheeks, useless in his attempts to save his friend who had been through too much. And Spot felt another surge of anger rise up in him as Jack's pleas and knocks became weaker and weaker.

"Step away, Kelly." Jack looked at him like he was crazy, but he shook his head. "I mean it, Jack! Move!"

Jack was shocked at Spot's tone. The Brooklyn boy never called him Jack. It was always "Jackie-boy" or "Kelly", but never just Jack. And so the boy moved. He watched as Spot breathed deep and stood directly in front of the doorknob. Then Spot kicked the door in.

Drake jumped a little as the door seemed to break open. He heard the snap of wood and suddenly shouts and screams were heard.

Jack saw the scene in front of him. Race was on the ground. He had a red mark on his neck that would soon form into a bruise. The boy's mouth was stuffed with a torn part of the sheet that Race had once been resting underneath. And locked tightly around the boy's wrists was a pair of metal handcuffs that dug into the sixteen-year-olds already cut up and bruising skin.

Drake was by the window. He had a chair in his hands, ready to break the glass. And when he saw the group of boys at the door, they saw a look in his eyes no one was sure they'd ever seen from him before. He looked... worried.

As he should have.

Jack was in the room in seconds. Medda called for him as she ran in, straight to Race, wrapping up the boy in her arms and trying to calm him down while the scene unfolded. But Jack didn't hear it. He grabbed the chair from the man he had grown to hate so long ago and threw it across the room before tackling the man to the ground.

The boys all seemed to freeze. Some of them had their eyes trained on Race who was hiding himself in his foster mother's embrace, sobbing into a gag. Some were unsure of weather or not to pull Jack off of the man in the corner. None of them could find it in themselves to move.

Spot did. He limped over to Jack. Most assumed he would pull Jack off of the offender. Spot and Jack had been known to stop each other from getting into stupid situations all the time. But the kids all watched as Spot started helping the Manhattan strike leader.

Drake had already been screaming.

Jack punched the man's face. He kicked him in the stomach. He grabbed onto his hair and beat him senseless. He was sure Spot was helping him at some point. He heard grunts of pain from the other boy. Jack realized he must've hurt his leg by opening the heavy door that kept them from their friend.

Race sobbed and pressed himself into Medda. She held him tight and whispered nonsense to him. He couldn't calm down as so many emotions rose up in him. He could hear his captor screaming and wished for it all to go away. He wished for silence and calm that wouldn't come. He wished that his boys would stop looking at him like that. He squeezed his eyes shut tight, wishing for himself to disappear.

Jack felt hands grab him. He fought as they pulled him off of the man that caused his friend so much pain and misery. He screamed when they ran towards the man and shoved Spot off of him.

Stitch held the frantic boy as best he could in his arms as more nurses ran in with security, pinning the man down as he fought and screamed angrily. "Jack!" The boy didn't stop fighting at his yell. "Jack! Stop fighting! Go to Race! He needs you!"

That was what it took to snap Jack out of it. He fight came to a slow stop as his cries and Spot's shouts were both dying down. That's when he heard the scared, muffled sobs.

"He needs you, Jack..." It was true.

Race didn't know what was happening. Suddenly, he was being gently pulled away from his mother and into a different embrace. He let out a heartbreaking sob as he was maneuvered fully onto someone's lap. And he was being rocked back and forth. He knew who it was that held him. And it was okay to cry.

Jack didn't know that tears fell from his eyes. He didn't know he was shaking. He didn't know that all of his boys were watching with tears in their eyes from a mixture of fear and relief. All he knew was that Race was in his arms. All he knew was that Race needed him.

Spot sat down next to Jack, ignoring the pain that shot through his leg as he did so. He was sure he'd sprained his ankle at the very least when he'd kicked open that door. But he didn't care. He just shushed his panicked friend as he struggled to breathe. Then Spot sighed and gently reached to take the gag out of the boy's mouth.

Race couldn't breathe. He wished he would fade away. He prayed he would just disappear. But it wouldn't work like that. He felt the piece of his sheet be removed from his mouth and he lost it, curling in on himself and letting himself reveal the horrors he'd just lived through again.

Race was hyperventilating. Jack knew it. The boy was gasping in for air but didn't seem to really be breathing at all. So Jack carefully cradled his baby brother to him. "Race?" The boy didn't respond to him. But Jack just continued. "Racer? I need ya ta breathe, okay?" The boy's body was twitching from the lack of oxygen. But seconds later, a shuddering breath was heard throughout the room and the choked wails began.

Spot watched his friend try and suck in air and then end up completely sobbing as he did. He sat on the other side of him and watched Jack speak in a shaky voice to the terrified kid. Spot blocked out everyone else in that room. He knew that Crutchie had dropped beside them at some point. The Delanceys too. But Spot didn't care. All he could see was his best friend, struggling to breathe out of pure terror.

Jack held Race close to him. No one else mattered but Race. Medda was shaking on the ground. Katherine was standing, shocked in the doorway. Davey was holding the boys back, away from Race. Spot was sitting in front of them. Crutchie and the Delanceys too. But Jack didn't care. And, even with the cuffs around Race's wrists, he scooped up the boy.

Race gasped as he was lifted up. But he didn't do anything to stop it. He let himself be carried to the bed. Everything hurt. His whole body was consumed by fear and adrenaline as he heard the man that had been tormenting him scream and curse at him. But he let Jack shush his loud, pained cries as he they were both lowered down onto the bed.

"I'm not done yet, do you hear me?!" Drake was fighting. He fought hard. Security had him in cuffs and they had a needle pressed in his arm to sedate him. His eyes found every other boys' eyes in that room and they all stood tall, ready to take him down again, if need be. And he glared dangerously at the boy who had but a bullet in his shoulder only for the rest of the group to threaten him with their stance as they moved in front of the Delancey boy. "I will get you, Race! One day you're gonna be mine!"

Jack lay down on the bed, his arms wrapped around his little brother. The boy's head was pressed to his chest and Jack held him tight. The boys both lay on their sides, facing each other, allowing Race to hide against the older boy. His hands were pinned between their chests, but neither of them cared.

Race heard voices. A lot of voices. As he drifted off, he could only hear the one above him, shushing him and telling him to breathe. Telling him he'd be alright. And he could vaguely feel someone reach between him and his safe haven, fiddling with the cuffs. But Jack's arms were still around him. And Race was able to let himself pass out in the only arms that could convince him he was safe.

Stitch smiled as Drake was dragged out of the room. The boys were all ready to take the man down. "Calm down boys..."

Crutchie was nervous. He didn't like the idea of Race being put through a test in the condition he was in. Race had been through too much for that.

The nurse in the room seemed to read the gimp boy's mind. "Don't worry. He won't have to do the kit anymore." When Crutchie and Davey gave him a curious look, Stitch shrugged. "We got it on camera."

 **Im an awful person. I'm sorry.**

 **There's one more chapter to this story! I'm so excited! And, if there's anything in this universe that you want to see, feel free to let me know. As you all know, I love requests.**

 **As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change or what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Love ya friends!**


	24. Epilogue

**I need to update things more often. But hey, I'm back! I got super sick so I'm laying in bed right now and I decided to finish this chapter. You're all welcome ;). Although this is kinda bitter sweet because this is the very last chapter of this story. But I really hope you guys like it!**

 **inactiveuser2017: Thank you so much! I'm so glad you like this and my other stories! I work hard. :)**

 **bexlynne: Thank you so much! I'm so glad you liked the chapter! It was emotional and kind of a rollercoaster and it was so much fun to write and I'm glad you loved it! Thank you so much, friend!**

 **FuriedNight: It's okay, hon. This story isn't over quite yet... I'm so glad you liked this one so much! I appreciate you and all your requests! Thank you so much!**

 **Fanz4life: These are good questions. I don't know why I torture Race. It's awful. But I can't stop. And your request has been heard! I'm playing around with some ideas in my head. And yes, I love both of those musicals. They're fantastic. Thank you so much!**

 **sidenotes-from-satan: I don't know what you tried to send me but I feel as though I should probably apologize for making you freak out... but I'm glad you like this story and follow it! Thank you so much!**

 **Les Phansie: I know. It's an obsession and he must be stopped. Drake is evil and awful and kind of a fun villain to write. Thank you so much for reviewing!**

 **selizabethharrisburg: Thank you so much for the ideas! This story definitely would not have been the same without you. I am so glad you are hooked on my stories and I'm so glad to have you as an amazing friend! You always have such amazing things to say and your reviews make my day! Thank you so much!**

 **queenlmno: I am so sorry. And wow, five weeks? I'd be dead. Thank you so much for reviewing! Please never stop. ;)**

 **Lunatica-Lupin-934: I am so sorry for he long wait! As crazy as it may sound, you are not the first person to compare this story to drugs. It's sick that it makes me happy. But I have read your request and I can't wait to write it, btw! Thank you so much for your reviews and ideas!**

 **Alright guys... I just need to say that I appreciate you all _so much_. These stories wouldn't be here without your constant support and reviews and I just love every single one of you. **

**Anyways...**

 **Please enjoy!**

Race's recovery was no easy thing. Jack was forced to watch the boy struggle for months. After that final encounter with the devil, the poor kid had been terrified of the world. His brothers didn't blame him. But slowly, it began to get better.

There were days when everything was normal, as far fetched as that may sound. Race would play with his brothers and make witty, sarcastic comments to teachers and follow Jack around the diner and let people ruffle his hair and laugh with him. He'd call Spot and the older boy would tease him and make him smile, despite the fact that Race felt it was his fault Spot had been on crutches for over a month. But it didn't matter. On those days, Race was happy. But those days were few and far between, even as Race did get better.

There were days when Race would be quiet, scared of speaking out of turn. Terrified of being punished. Jack would hold him. He'd tell him it was alright, but Race still didn't take too well to it. There were days when Race would lash out. He'd be fiercely angry at everyone and everything and only little Romeo could get his big brother to take a breath after begging for him to talk to them. None of the boys could breathe until Romeo was up in Race's arms as the two comforted each other. Jack knew not to touch him those days. It could be dangerous.

There were days when Race seemed to be coming back, miraculously becoming his former, cocky, witty self as he played and messed with his brothers. But sometimes... it couldn't last. Race would catch someone looking at him the wrong way. He'd flinch whenever a teacher touched him wrong or raised their voice at him. And then he'd excuse himself to the bathroom, shaking, holding back tears and Jack would wait exactly three minutes before following him.

He'd rub the his friend's back while he hovered over a sink or a toilet as memories resurfaced in his mind. He'd take the broken boy into his arms. He'd kiss the blond locks atop his head. He'd let the smaller teen cry with him. They'd curl up in the school restroom, locking the doors and ignoring everyone who could possibly try and disturb them. And Jack would tell Race it was okay. It was _okay_ to cry.

Medda tried to sign Race up for counseling. The kid didn't go for it. Jack had tried to talk him into it. Hell, Spot had too. He was a wreck. Rightfully so. He'd been to hell and back. And then he'd been dragged back only to be saved far too late. And he had every right to hurt. To _cry_. But he refused to talk to a stranger. He couldn't do it.

Morris and Oscar drew closer to him than anyone thought possible. The two former bullies would always play games with him, take his mind off things. Jack could see the way they made Race forget, even if only for a few minutes before the weight of the world came crashing back down on him. But Jack was grateful, none the less.

The boys hardly let Race out of their sights. Jack didn't blame them. When he thought he'd lost Race, a piece of his heart had become a gaping whole. A void that could never be refilled by anyone else. And now... he couldn't lose him. Never. But sometimes, Race couldn't handle the constant stares. Sometimes, the boy needed a break. He needed a breath of fresh air and a day away from the looks and the pity and the touch that he couldn't handle.

So there were days like today. Days when Jack would walk to his window, a familiar face missing from his group of boys. And Jack's heart would sink, but he'd continue on anyways. He'd pick Romeo up and carry him to the middle school, his heart breaking when he'd look around for Race. And throughout the whole day, all the boys would ask for him, so concerned and frightened, fearing Race may have tried to do something none of them would be able to handle, in order forget such a traumatizing thing. But Jack assured them it was alright. _Race_ was alright. He had to be.

After school never came fast enough. But that day seemed to drag on forever. He called out of work. He had to. He didn't think he could go another minute when no one had seen his brother. He let Crutchie climb onto his back and he walked as fast as he could to the palace that had become the boys' safe place a long time ago.

Jack didn't even knock on the door and he felt Crutchie clinging to him so tight, afraid of something terrible. But Jack shushed him and walked them into the main room where someone sat, quietly reading a book, silent tears flowing down her face. But as soon as she saw Jack, he saw something in her eyes light up.

"Medda?" Jack asked, worriedly. He set Crutchie down on the couch and walked over to the woman who stood up quick.

"He's up in his room. Hasn't moved all day. He won't talk to me..." Medda let Jack take her into his arms. She held onto him tight. "He hasn't said a word all day, honey. He looked right at me and wouldn't say a word..." She felt so helpless. Her baby needed something and she didn't know what. She couldn't help him.

Jack nodded before he looked back at Crutchie. "It might be a little while, kid. I'm gonna go up..."

Crutchie knew what that meant. He sniffled back the tears and tried his best to relax against the couch. But it was difficult. One of his brothers was upstairs. He was hurting and scared and had bottled up feelings and things that he wouldn't tell anyone. That was dangerous. Crutchie knew it was. It wouldn't be the first time Race hurt himself over those things that went on in his head.

Jack all but flew up the stairs. His movements were reckless and abrupt and he had to freeze outside the familiar door that stood between him and Racetrack. He had to take a breath. If he frightened his friend, Lord knows what would happen.

Jack silently opened the door. There was Race. He lay on the big mattress. It was huge compared to anywhere the boy had ever slept before. The room too. Normally, Race would tell him about cold basements and tiny walk in closets where he'd be banished to whenever social workers weren't around. He'd get sick without blankets and he'd be stiff without pillows. But he'd put on a show for their friends. He'd pretend for the sake of their brothers.

Jack stood still for a moment, waiting for Race to shift or move in any type of way. He didn't. His back was to the door and he was on his side with his legs pulled up to his chest. Jack didn't have to walk around to see that Race's hands were ghostly white as they clutched onto the blanket that was twisted around him. He didn't have to walk around to see the tear-stained cheeks or the bleeding lip that he'd bit on too hard. He didn't have to walk around to see the thin red cuts that littered Race's thighs and torso. The ones he'd created to try and outlet his inner pain and fear. The ones that Jack so desperately tried to stop time and time again.

Jack didn't say a word. He carefully took a breath and stepped into the room. Race was completely curled up on one side of the bed, Jack feared he may fall off, but he sat on the other side. He could see Race tense. He could see the fear rising in him. But all he could do was wait.

Race's mind was running wild. Drake's voice echoed over and over in his mind, demanding he be quiet or stay still. It demanded that he do unspeakable things and then try to live with what he'd done. Race tried to squeeze his eyes shut and make it all go away. He wished to be normal again. He wished to be okay with the touch of his friends that he'd once cherished a great deal. He wished to be able to hear a loud voice without flinching or crying out. He wished to be himself again. But he didn't even think he could get out of bed that day. Not for anything.

When the bed dipped behind him, it took everything in him to suppress a scream. Those days when he'd been curled up in Drake's arms came back to him and for a moment, he was in a dimmed room. One with a single chair in the corner, dressers full of ropes and gags and chloroform. One with only a single way of escape. And as it faded, Race let out a silent shaky breath. He still couldn't move. He still couldn't face the world like he'd once been able to. Carefree and eager. He was a scared little boy with too much terror rolled up inside him.

But someone was still behind him. Race didn't have to guess who it was.

Jack didn't know how long he sat there. His legs were stretched out on the bed. His back was pressed up against the headboard. He sat, playing with his own hands as he waited in silence. He knew better than to speak. He'd done this before. Too many times. Race didn't deserve this.

It must've been close to an hour before anything happened. Race stared at the wall, his mind trying desperately to clear itself. His blue eyes were filled with tears. But it had been long enough. He could speak. He _knew_ he could do it.

Jack let out a sigh of relief when he heard the first shaky breath his friend let out. It was the first sound Race had actually made since he'd arrived. It was small but important. It sounded as if Race was waking from some sort of dream. Or perhaps even a nightmare. And he waited for just a few more moments. A few more moments before he heard it.

"Jack... could you-" And the older boy's patience had worn thin. He gathered up Race in his arms as quickly and carefully as he could.

Arms wrapping themselves around the blond boy's waist made him tense for only a moment before he relaxed again and was pulled up into something close to a sitting position. He was able to curl into his best friend's side as the older boy practically engulfed him in his embrace, shielding him from the world. Jack was curled around him, his chin resting on Race's hair and arms encircling his whole body before the young boy could even get out the last two words. _Hold me...?_

Jack felt himself breathing easier with his friend pressed against him, or... into him. Into his circle of protection. He kissed Race's head and let the boy grasp onto his shirt for dear life. "I got you, Racer. It's okay... I'm right here..."

Race whimpered a little as he curled more into Jack. The older boy's hold on him only tightened, making him feel even more secure. He wished to be able to hide in that embrace forever. The boy closed his eyes and tried to breathe, letting Jack shower him with brotherly kisses and a slow flow of assuring words.

Jack kept mumbling out things. He wasn't sure he was even thinking about it anymore. The only thing he was thinking about was what happened to get his brother here again. He'd been back for almost two months.

"Was it anotha' nightmare, kid?" Jack's question was almost less than a whisper. And he felt Race freeze before he cautiously nodded his head and Jack began to gently rock the boy back and forth. "You're alright now, little brotha'... I got you..."

Race sniffled. The memories in his head had a hold on him. It _hurt_ him to think about it. It made him feel so helpless. So _weak_. And there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. "H-he was th-there again, Jack..." Race's voice shook as he tried to contain the sobs that rose in his throat. "H-he was on... on top a' me... he wouldn't stop..." Race inhaled sharply as the vision came back to him. He could see the evil smirk and the stupid long hair. He could see the greedy, lust filled eyes and the awful lips. He buried himself deeper into Jack's chest. "Make him go away, Jack!" Race begged, terrified. "Please! Make it stop!"

Jack's heart broke a million times over in that single moment. "Shush, Racer... he ain't here... they put him away... you're alright... I got you, kid..." It's all he could keep saying as Race mumbled out his nightmares and fears. It was the only thing that was allowing the blond boy to stay in somewhat of reality with him.

It could've been hours. In fact, Jack concluded that it had to have been hours, as the room had been lit up by the afternoon sun when he'd first arrived and was now dimmed as the thing set. But it didn't matter. Jack would've sat there with Race for eternity with the hopes of calming him down.

When Race eventually started to drift off, his breathing evened out and his eyelids becoming too heavy for him, there was a soft knock at the door that had the boy pulling away from sleep and shying further into Jack's hold that had never loosened or shifted in anyway.

Medda walked in a moment later, Crutchie only a step behind her as they cautiously made their way into the quiet room. When they stepped in, Race's blue eyes found his foster mom's. And he couldn't stop himself from sniffling.

"Hi baby..." Medda whispered, blinking back her relieved tears. She had a tray of food held in her hands. Jack guessed it was for him and Race being that there was only to plates on it with sandwiches and drinks.

Crutchie climbed on the bed next to Jack. He sat crisscross to his big brother's side so he could see Race as well. "Hiya Race..." Crutchie started shyly, not knowing how much noise his best friend could handle at the moment. "The boys missed ya today... and I brought ya your homework... but all the teachers say to take your time..."

Medda swore she saw the smallest smile on her baby's face as the crippled boy started talking to him. She walked around to the nightstand and set down the food before she gently sat on the side of the bed. Race slowly brought his legs closer to his chest, but Medda reached out and grabbed his hand. "Shhhh... honey, it's just me..."

Race nodded. He took a deep breath and squeezed her hand, feeling himself relax a little when she pressed her lips to his palm. "I brought you some food, sweetheart... you ain't eaten all day..."

Race still didn't speak. He only bit his already bleeding lip. His head was still gripping onto reality so tightly and he was afraid that it would slip through his fingers if he wasn't careful.

Medda sighed as she watched her foster son. There was no reason that he should have gone through all that he'd gone through. He was too young an innocent for that. He was hers. She was determined never to let it happen ever again. Not as long as she was there. Not as long as she had him in her arms. "There's somethin' I wanted ta talk to you about, baby..." Then Medda looked around at the three boys on the bed. "All of you, actually." She'd been wanting to ask for months. She'd been wanting this for so long, her eyes watered up as she was finally about to speak up, despite the fact that Race was so shaken and frightened. "I know this is sudden and you boys are already growing up... but there's nothing else I'd rather have in the world than ta call you all mine... God knows I should've done this so long ago... maybe all of this wouldn't have happened..."

Jack's heart leapt in his chest. He saw Race's bright blue eyes cleared of the nightmare he'd been reliving and replaced with shock and... something Jack could almost identify as excitement. And he felt Crutchie scoot closer to them too, a teary smile on his face.

"Do you boys want to make this all official?"

Race was out of Jack's arms in an instant and his whole body shook as Medda's wrapped around him instead. He began to weep as the woman held him. He felt his terror melting away as she kissed his head and rocked him ever so slightly before Race felt two more bodies pressed up against his.

"You're gonna adopt us, Miss Medda?" Crutchie's voice was so full of disbelief and pure joy. He could hardly contain his excitement. Him and Jack and Race. _Brothers_. And Medda their beautiful mother, by law. It all seemed too perfect.

"Oh, babies... I adopted you into my family the day I met you. This is just something that can make it stronger. What do you boys say?"

Race held her so tight. "Yes!" he cried, hearing Jack laugh as the older boy rubbed his back.

Medda looked into Jack's green eyes for a moment. "What do you say, Jack?"

The smile that spread across his face was priceless and beautiful and so relieved. "Of course, Medda... We love ya... you know that..."

She loved them too. More than anything in the world. And she was determined to keep them safe from the horrors of the world. What happened to Racetrack would never happen again. Not to her boys. Not to her _kids_. Never again.

"Welcome home, babies..."

 **That's the end of this one, friends.**

 **I hope you liked this story. Thank you to everyone who followed along the whole time! It's been one hell of a ride. I couldn't be more grateful for any of you!**

 **Guys... I'm so excited. I have another two chapter stories that I've been working on. Others that I've been brainstorming too. I'm hoping to post them soon! Be on the look out for some new fics!**

 **There's gonna be a prequel to this story before another sequel. And just when you thought I couldn't get any eviler... just you wait. The things I've been working on... I can't even tell you how evil I am. But I guess you'll find out soon enough.**

 **There was an idea for me a very long time ago to write a story of the characters reactions to Race's "death" that I continue to let slip from my mind. Is that still something you guys would like to see? I got requests for Medda, Spot, Romeo and Crutchie. Is that it? Do you guys want to see that?**

 **Anyways...**

 **Thank you guys _so much_ for reading! It's been a long ride. Please please please be sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change or what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Love ya, fansies! **


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